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Project Pluto
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Project Pluto
Project Pluto was a United States government program to develop nuclear-powered ramjet engines for use in cruise missiles. Two experimental engines were tested at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) in 1961 and 1964 respectively.
On 1 January 1957, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission selected the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory to study the feasibility of applying heat from a nuclear reactor to power a ramjet engine for a Supersonic Low Altitude Missile. This would have many advantages over other contemporary nuclear weapons delivery systems: operating at Mach 3, or around 3,700 kilometers per hour (2,300 mph), and flying as low as 150 meters (500 ft), it would be invulnerable to interception by contemporary air defenses, carry more nuclear warheads with greater nuclear weapon yield, deliver them with greater accuracy than was possible with intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) at the time and, unlike them, could be recalled.
This research became known as Project Pluto, and was directed by Theodore Charles (Ted) Merkle, leader of the laboratory's Radiation Division. Originally carried out at Livermore, California, testing was moved to new facilities constructed for $1.2 million (equivalent to $10 million in 2024) on 21 square kilometers (8 sq mi) at NTS Site 401, also known as Jackass Flats. The test reactors were moved about on a railroad car that could be controlled remotely. The need to maintain supersonic speed at low altitude and in all kinds of weather meant that the reactor had to survive high temperatures and intense radiation. Ceramic nuclear fuel elements contained highly enriched uranium oxide fuel and beryllium oxide was used both as neutron moderator and as neutron reflector.
After a series of preliminary tests to verify the integrity of the components under conditions of strain and vibration, Tory II-A, the world's first nuclear ramjet engine, was run at full power (46 MW) on 14 May 1961. A larger, fully-functional ramjet engine was then developed called Tory II-C. This was run at full power (461 MW) on 20 May 1964, thereby demonstrating the feasibility of a nuclear-powered ramjet engine. Despite these and other successful tests, ICBM technology developed quicker than expected, and this reduced the need for cruise missiles. By the early 1960s, there was greater sensitivity about the dangers of radioactive emissions in the atmosphere, and devising an appropriate test plan for the necessary flight tests was difficult. On 1 July 1964, seven years and six months after it was started, Project Pluto was canceled.
During the 1950s, the United States Air Force (USAF) considered the use of nuclear powered aircraft and missiles as part of its Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion project, which was coordinated by the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Office. Research into missiles was coordinated by its Missile Projects Branch. The concept of using a shieldless nuclear reactor to provide a heat source for a ramjet was explored by Frank E. Rom and Eldon W. Sams at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Lewis Research Center in 1954 and 1955. The principle behind the nuclear ramjet was relatively simple: motion of the vehicle pushed air in through the front of the vehicle (the ram effect). If a nuclear reactor heated the air, the hot air expanded at higher speed out through a nozzle at the back, providing thrust.
At the time, the United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was conducting studies of the use of a nuclear thermal rocket as an upper stage of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on behalf of the USAF. The AEC farmed this work out to its two rival atomic weapons laboratories, the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) in Los Alamos, New Mexico, and the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory at Livermore, California. By late 1956 improvements in nuclear weapon design had reduced the need for a nuclear upper stage, and the development effort was concentrated at LASL, where it became known as Project Rover.
On 1 January 1957, the USAF and the AEC selected the Livermore Laboratory to study the design of a nuclear reactor to power ramjet engines. This research became known as Project Pluto. It was directed by Theodore C. (Ted) Merkle, leader of the Laboratory's R Division.
The proposed use for nuclear-powered ramjets would be to power a cruise missile, called Supersonic Low Altitude Missile (SLAM). It would have many advantages over other nuclear weapons delivery systems. It was estimated that the reactor would weigh between 23,000 and 91,000 kilograms (50,000 and 200,000 lb), permitting a payload of over 23,000 kilograms (50,000 lb). Operating at Mach 3, or around 3,700 kilometers per hour (2,300 mph) and flying as low as 150 meters (500 ft), it would be invulnerable to interception by contemporary air defenses. It could carry more nuclear warheads than the sixteen aboard a Polaris ballistic missile submarine, they could be larger, with nuclear weapon yields of up to 10 megatonnes of TNT (42 PJ), and delivered with greater accuracy. Moreover, unlike an ICBM, it could be recalled.
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Project Pluto
Project Pluto was a United States government program to develop nuclear-powered ramjet engines for use in cruise missiles. Two experimental engines were tested at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) in 1961 and 1964 respectively.
On 1 January 1957, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission selected the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory to study the feasibility of applying heat from a nuclear reactor to power a ramjet engine for a Supersonic Low Altitude Missile. This would have many advantages over other contemporary nuclear weapons delivery systems: operating at Mach 3, or around 3,700 kilometers per hour (2,300 mph), and flying as low as 150 meters (500 ft), it would be invulnerable to interception by contemporary air defenses, carry more nuclear warheads with greater nuclear weapon yield, deliver them with greater accuracy than was possible with intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) at the time and, unlike them, could be recalled.
This research became known as Project Pluto, and was directed by Theodore Charles (Ted) Merkle, leader of the laboratory's Radiation Division. Originally carried out at Livermore, California, testing was moved to new facilities constructed for $1.2 million (equivalent to $10 million in 2024) on 21 square kilometers (8 sq mi) at NTS Site 401, also known as Jackass Flats. The test reactors were moved about on a railroad car that could be controlled remotely. The need to maintain supersonic speed at low altitude and in all kinds of weather meant that the reactor had to survive high temperatures and intense radiation. Ceramic nuclear fuel elements contained highly enriched uranium oxide fuel and beryllium oxide was used both as neutron moderator and as neutron reflector.
After a series of preliminary tests to verify the integrity of the components under conditions of strain and vibration, Tory II-A, the world's first nuclear ramjet engine, was run at full power (46 MW) on 14 May 1961. A larger, fully-functional ramjet engine was then developed called Tory II-C. This was run at full power (461 MW) on 20 May 1964, thereby demonstrating the feasibility of a nuclear-powered ramjet engine. Despite these and other successful tests, ICBM technology developed quicker than expected, and this reduced the need for cruise missiles. By the early 1960s, there was greater sensitivity about the dangers of radioactive emissions in the atmosphere, and devising an appropriate test plan for the necessary flight tests was difficult. On 1 July 1964, seven years and six months after it was started, Project Pluto was canceled.
During the 1950s, the United States Air Force (USAF) considered the use of nuclear powered aircraft and missiles as part of its Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion project, which was coordinated by the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Office. Research into missiles was coordinated by its Missile Projects Branch. The concept of using a shieldless nuclear reactor to provide a heat source for a ramjet was explored by Frank E. Rom and Eldon W. Sams at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Lewis Research Center in 1954 and 1955. The principle behind the nuclear ramjet was relatively simple: motion of the vehicle pushed air in through the front of the vehicle (the ram effect). If a nuclear reactor heated the air, the hot air expanded at higher speed out through a nozzle at the back, providing thrust.
At the time, the United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was conducting studies of the use of a nuclear thermal rocket as an upper stage of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on behalf of the USAF. The AEC farmed this work out to its two rival atomic weapons laboratories, the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) in Los Alamos, New Mexico, and the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory at Livermore, California. By late 1956 improvements in nuclear weapon design had reduced the need for a nuclear upper stage, and the development effort was concentrated at LASL, where it became known as Project Rover.
On 1 January 1957, the USAF and the AEC selected the Livermore Laboratory to study the design of a nuclear reactor to power ramjet engines. This research became known as Project Pluto. It was directed by Theodore C. (Ted) Merkle, leader of the Laboratory's R Division.
The proposed use for nuclear-powered ramjets would be to power a cruise missile, called Supersonic Low Altitude Missile (SLAM). It would have many advantages over other nuclear weapons delivery systems. It was estimated that the reactor would weigh between 23,000 and 91,000 kilograms (50,000 and 200,000 lb), permitting a payload of over 23,000 kilograms (50,000 lb). Operating at Mach 3, or around 3,700 kilometers per hour (2,300 mph) and flying as low as 150 meters (500 ft), it would be invulnerable to interception by contemporary air defenses. It could carry more nuclear warheads than the sixteen aboard a Polaris ballistic missile submarine, they could be larger, with nuclear weapon yields of up to 10 megatonnes of TNT (42 PJ), and delivered with greater accuracy. Moreover, unlike an ICBM, it could be recalled.
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