Declassified Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Program: Manned Aircraft Progress Report 1956-1958

An incredible NUCLEAR-POWERED FLIGHT film. We scanned this declassified film showing 30 minutes of detail from the major reactor development program at its peak, between 1956-1958.

It presents the program goals and evolution, including how global operating costs were expected to be reduced by eliminating the need to operate foreign air bases around the world. Materials problems required them to reduce requirements from high-altitude/supersonic to low-altitude/subsonic. Ongoing development and progress is shown on the GE direct air cycle (XMA-2) in Idaho and Evandale, and the P&W indirect liquid-metal lithium-7 cooled cycle at CANAL, where they developed niobium-based alloys and technology that could run at the required crazy-high temperatures and withstand lithium.

It shows dozens of things I've never seen before, like the 3 ZrH and BeO inserts put into HTRE-2, and talks a bit about the HTRE-3 meltdown. The HTREs can still be seen in the parking lot of the EBR-1 museum on the INL site.

They show an in-reactor test loop being fabricated and tested in a large oil-fired heater, destined to be inserted in the ETR in Idaho.

Of course, shielding makes an appearance. The Convair Nuclear Test Aircraft is shown, and shields made of Lithium hydride, BeO, tungsten alloys, and depleted uranium are discussed. They also show some work on radiation effects on electrical components, using test reactors.

Overall, another incredible find and amazing content given the deceptively simple and boring title.

Huge thanks to my friends at Nuclear Talent Scout for funding the scan, and for choosing to prioritize it!

As always, the engineers from the 1950s continue to throw the word "advanced reactor" back in our face today.

Digitized by whatisnuclear.com. For more info, see https://whatisnuclear.com/news/2025-02-03-declassified-nuclear-powered-aircraft-progress-update-manned-flight-film.html

Courtesy: National Archives and Records Administration

Contents:

- 00:00 Credits
- 00:48 Intro to ANP
- 01:42 Program history and evolution
- 05:23 GE XMA-1 air cooled system
- 06:10 HTRE-1
- 06:38 HTRE-2
- 07:54 HTRE-3
- 09:39 Flight engine test facility and others
- 10:23 Full-scale XMA-1 model at GE Evandale
- 12:04 X-211 chemical testing
- 12:53 Flight reactor development at GE
- 14:10 Pratt and Whitney liquid metal indirect system
- 15:59 CANEL in Middletown, CT
- 17:17 Forced convection loop
- 19:44 Shielding and flying reactors
- 22:30 Shielding summary
- 23:08 Radiation effects program
- 25:04 Life sciences
- 25:28 Safety analysis program
- 26:03 Presidential reorientation
- 26:29 Lockheed program
- 29:52 Outro credits