76. Editorial Note
At the National Security Council meeting on November 5, 1959, AEC Chairman McCone briefed the Council on atomic energy programs. After describing materials procurement, McCone turned to certain weapons programs and space vehicles:
“Mr. McCone next turned to naval nuclear propulsion. He indicated that by December 31, 1959 we would have one Polaris and eight other nuclear submarines; by December 31, 1960 we would have five Polaris and thirteen other nuclear submarines. The George Washington, the first Polaris submarine, will be undergoing sea trials in the near future. The nuclear-powered cruiser Long Beach should be operating by the end of 1960, after launching this spring and sea trials in July. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Enterprise and the nuclear-powered destroyer Bainbridge should be operating by the latter part of 1961. The naval nuclear propulsion program was summarized as consisting of six land-based prototype reactors, 37 submarines, and 3 surface vessels. Mr. McCone concluded his remarks on maritime nuclear propulsion by indicating that minor modifications in design were being made in the N.S. (Nuclear Ship) Savannah.
“In passing, Mr. McCone remarked that we have eight or nine military package power plants in various sizes and types and indicated that they were particularly important in view of their significant contribution to technology.
[Page 331]“Mr. McCone then briefly described the Pluto, Rover and Snap devices and the air nuclear propulsion program. He recalled to the President the thermo-couple principle which was embodied in one of the Snap devices shown to the President, and indicated we were developing more of this type. All of the Snap devices are being utilized for auxiliary power in space vehicles. A careful review is being made of the Snap program, which will run to $300–$400 million from the point of view of cost and effectiveness as compared to other power sources such as solar heat. Pluto involved the development of a ram jet to propel low-level unmanned supersonic missiles. Three to four years would be required for the development of this ram jet, but the program offers good prospects. Rover is a nuclear propulsion system for a space vehicle; again three to four years of development will be required before its full possibilities are known. Mr. McCone recalled to the President a recent review of the aircraft nuclear propulsion program and indicated that the development rather than the hardware stage of the program is being emphasized as a result of such review. He said we had developed a reactor which would fly a plane, but the reactor would not fly the plane very well. By postponing the hardware stage two or three years, we could probably develop a better reactor for aircraft propulsion. Mr. McCone thought that the Russians were probably coming to a similar conclusion. He noted that the Russians were somewhat evasive in this area, but believed they had been unable to solve the ceramics problem and did not consider it likely they would surprise us with a technical break-through in aircraft nuclear propulsion.”
The remainder of the briefing concerned Soviet atomic energy programs and peaceful uses of atomic energy. (Memorandum of discussion by Boggs; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records) See the Supplement.