Photos: On this day – January 21, 1954 – The first nuclear-powered submarine is launched in Groton, Connecticut

Posted Jan 21, 2013

On this day – January 21, 1954 – The first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, is launched in Groton, Connecticut by Mamie Eisenhower, the First Lady of the United States.

USS Nautilus (SSN-571) is the world’s first operational nuclear-powered submarine. She was the first vessel to complete a submerged transit to the North Pole on 3 August 1958. Sharing names with the submarine in Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and named after another USS Nautilus (SS-168) that served with distinction in World War II, Nautilus was authorized in 1951 and launched in 1954. Because her nuclear propulsion allowed her to remain submerged far longer than diesel-electric submarines, she broke many records in her first years of operation, and traveled to locations previously beyond the limits of submarines. In operation, she revealed a number of limitations in her design and construction. This information was used to improve subsequent submarines.

Nautilus was decommissioned in 1980 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1982. She has been preserved as a museum of submarine history in Groton, Connecticut, where she receives some 250,000 visitors a year.(AP, Wikipedia)

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The atomic-powered submarine USS Nautilus hits the water in the Thames river at Groton, Conn., Jan. 21, 1954, at the official launching. Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower christened the craft moments earlier. (AP Photo/stf)
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U.S. First Lady Mamie Eisenhower breaks a champagne bottle on the bow of the USS Nautilus during the christening ceremony at Groton, Conn., Jan. 21, 1954 for the world's first atomic-powered submarine. Watching are John Jay Hopkins, left, president of General Dynamics Corp., which built the submarine, and Commander Edward Beach, Naval aide to President Eisenhower. (AP Photo)
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The USS Nautilus, world's first atomic-powered submarine, rests on the ways in the General Dynamics Corp. shipyard in Groton, Conn. on Jan. 20, 1954, a day before the launching ceremonies. (AP Photo)
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Official board the USS Nautilus at the electric boat division of the General Dynamics Corp. on Aug. 30, 1954, for the commissioning ceremony placing the world's first atomic-powered submarine in the service of the U.S. Navy. (AP Photo)
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USS Nautilus during her initial sea trials, 20 January 1955.
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Friends and relatives meet the crew of the nuclear-powered submarine Nautilus comes alongside at Groton, Co, USA, October 28, 1957. The 116 officers and men returned after a 14-day cruise, a test run for the planned upcoming underwater crossing of the North Pole crossing from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. (AP Photo)
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Nautilus's reactor core prototype at the S1W facility in Idaho
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The Atomic Energy Commission has announced that this full scale replica of the power plant of the Submarine Nautilus operated at full power 66 days and nights without exhausting its uranium fuel supply, equivalent to more than a non-stop run around the world. A navy officer is entering the section housing the power plant on August 15, 1956. At the lower right is a mechanical brake used to measure the output of the atomic plant, and in the upper left is a tank in which, a replica of a sub hull containing the reactor is immersed. The setup is located at an AEC testing station in Idaho. (AP Photo)
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The world's first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus, in New York harbor in 1958. (AP Photo/U.A. Navy)
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U.S. Navy's atomic submarine Nautilus approaches the battery at the lower tip of Manhattan Island on Aug. 25, 1958 as she starts her marine march up the Hudson River, at left, during her New York welcome. At right is the Brooklyn Bridge over the East River. (AP Photo/stf
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Fireboats spray water as a welcome to the U.S. Navy's nuclear submarine USS Nautilus while she moves past the New York skyline on Aug. 25, 1958. (AP Photo/John Rooney)
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The new U.S. Navy submarine Nautilus N-2 passes under the Brooklyn Bridge on its way to the Brooklyn Navy Yard on April 8, 1931. (AP Photo)
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Nautilus passes under the George Washington Bridge during a visit to New York Harbor in 1956
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Some of the crew and captain W.R. Anderson, right, of the nuclear-powered submarine Nautilus are pictured just before diving August 1958. The mission will do an underwater crossing of the North Pole crossing from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. (AP Photo)
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The submarine Nautilus in the Mid Atlantic Ocean, photographed during bad weather from the White Star Motor Liner named Britannic in 1931. The submarine was towed into Queenstown by the US Battleship Wyoming around June 16, 1931. (AP Photo)
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A helicopter is about to land on the deck of the nuclear-powered submarine Nautilus as it is nearing Portland, Or., USA, August 12, 1958. The 116 officers and men onboard made an epic underwater crossing of the North Pole crossing from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. (AP Photo)
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A helicopter touches down on the deck of the nuclear-powered submarine Nautilus as it is nearing Portland, Or., USA, August 12, 1958. The 116 officers and men onboard made an epic underwater crossing of the North Pole crossing from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. (AP Photo)
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Harry Thomas, left, a member of the Nautilus Crrew, taps beer for his crew mates in the black Dog Public House in Weymouth, OR., USA, August 12, 1958. The nuclear-powered submarine Nautilus is birthed at nearby Portland. The 116 officers and men were awarded for their epic underwater crossing of the North Pole crossing from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean with the presidential unit citation awards. At the bar from left to right are: Marvin Earl Megason Jr., Jack Kurrus, Robert Pfeiffer, Jack Bairrd, Lynus J. Larch, John F. Draper. (AP Photo)
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The U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered submarine USS Nautilus leaves for home at Portland, Dorset on Aug. 18, 1958. (AP Photo)
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Rear Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, father of nuclear powered submarines, boards the USS Nautilus from the Navy Tug 534 in the Narrows below Brooklyn, New York on August 25, 1958. Cdr. William Anderson, head showing at left, awaits to greet the admiral aboard the U.S. Navy’s first nuclear sub. Anderson is skipper of the Nautilus. Saluting at left center is Lt. Donald P. Hall, gunnery officer of the Nautilus. The craft returned earlier from four-month voyage. (AP Photo/Pool)
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U.S. ambassador John Hay Whitney confers decoration on chief torpedo man Lynus J. Larch as he presents the Nautilus crew presidential unit citation awards. Right stands captain Willian R. Anderson, 37. The nuclear-powered submarine Nautilus came alongside at Portland, Or., USA, August 12, 1958. The 116 officers and men were awarded for their epic underwater crossing of the North Pole crossing from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. (AP Photo)
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Families of the crew of the USS Nautilus crowd balcony overlooking Broadway, New York, to view ticker tape parade for the submariners on August 27, 1958. Cdr. William R. Anderson, skipper of the nuclear powered sub, waves to crowd from lead car of the procession. R. Adm. Hyman G. Rickover, father of atomic powered subs, is in background riding in car with Cdr. Anderson. An estimated 250,000 persons lined lower Broadway to watch the reception for the Nautilus' crew. (AP Photo)
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The submarine Nautilus seen in this photo on Jan. 23, 1978, the world's first nuclear-powered vessel will be retired by the Navy, 25 years after years after it was launched at General Dynamics-Electric Boat in Groton, Conn. (AP Photo)
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Following fleet exercises in early 1959, Nautilus entered the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, for her first complete overhaul (28 May 1959 Đ 15 August 1960). Overhaul was followed by refresher training and on 24 October she departed New London for her first deployment with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea, returning to her home-port 16 December. Nautilus operated in the Atlantic, conducting evaluation tests for ASW improvements, participating in NATO exercises and, during October 1962, in the naval quarantine of Cuba, until she headed east again for a two-month Mediterranean tour in August 1963. On her return she joined in fleet exercises until entering the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for her second overhaul 17 January 1964. On 2 May 1966, Nautilus returned to her home-port to resume operations with the Atlantic Fleet, and at some point around that month, logged her 300,000th nautical mile (560,000 km; 350,000 mi) underway. For the next year and a quarter she conducted special operations for ComSubLant and then in August 1967, returned to Portsmouth, for another year's stay, following which she conducted exercises off the southeastern seaboard. She returned to New London in December 1968. In the spring[when?] of 1979, Nautilus set out from Groton, Connecticut on her final voyage under the command of Richard A. Riddell. She reached Mare Island Naval Shipyard of Vallejo, California on 26 May 1979, her last day underway. She was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 3 March 1980. Noise The hull and superstructure of Nautilus vibrated sufficiently that sonar became ineffective at more than 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) speed.[15] Also, noise generation is extremely undesirable in submarines as this makes the vessel vulnerable to detection. Lessons learned from this problem were applied to later nuclear submarines. Awards and commendations Presidential Unit Citation
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Nautilus, retired, heads for home on 8 May 2002, after preservation by the Electric Boat Division.
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USS Nautilus docked at the Submarine Force Library and Museum