JASON reactor facts for kids
JASON was a special kind of nuclear reactor that helped train people working with nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Navy. It was built by the UK Ministry of Defence and was located at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich in London. Today, this historic building is part of the University of Greenwich.
What Was JASON?
JASON was a small research reactor from the "Argonaut series," designed in the United States. It only produced 10 kilowatts of power, which is much less than the huge reactors used in real nuclear-powered submarines (those produce tens of megawatts!). The Royal Navy used JASON for experiments and to teach its staff about nuclear technology.
What made JASON unique was its location. It was one of the very few nuclear reactors ever to operate right inside a big city like London. Even more surprisingly, it was placed inside a beautiful 17th-century building called the King William Building, which was part of the old Greenwich Hospital. This building was designed by the famous architect Christopher Wren. Most people in London didn't even know there was a nuclear reactor so close to them, even when the area became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997!
How JASON Operated and Was Taken Apart
JASON was used at the Greenwich site from 1962 until 1996. Before that, it had been used by a company called Hawker Siddeley Nuclear Power Corporation starting in 1959.
After 1996, JASON was completely taken apart. By 1999, all of its parts were removed. About 270 tonnes (which is like 270,000 kilograms!) of radioactive waste had to be carefully taken away from the site.
There was a legal case about JASON brought by the European Commission against the UK. The case was about whether the rules of the Euratom Treaty applied to nuclear energy used for military purposes. In 2005, the court decided that the treaty does not apply to nuclear energy used by the military.
See also
- List of nuclear reactors
Images for kids
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A replica of a JASON fuel rod, used to power the reactor.
