USS Nautilus (SSN-571) facts for kids
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The retired USS Nautilus heads home on 8 May 2002, after being preserved by the Electric Boat Division.
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Quick facts for kids Class overview |
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| Builders: | General Dynamics |
| Operators: |  United States Navy |
| Preceded by: | Tang class |
| Succeeded by: | USS Seawolf |
| Built: | 1952 |
| In commission: | 1954–1980 |
| History | |
 United States |
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| Name | Nautilus |
| Namesake | Jules Verne's "Nautilus" submarine |
| Awarded | 2 August 1951 |
| Builder | General Dynamics |
| Laid down | 14 June 1952 |
| Launched | 21 January 1954 |
| Sponsored by | Mamie Eisenhower (First Lady of the United States) |
| Completed | 22 April 1955 |
| Commissioned | 30 September 1954 |
| Decommissioned | 3 March 1980 |
| Stricken | 3 March 1980 |
| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Nuclear submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 320 ft (97.5 m) |
| Beam | 28 ft (8.5 m) |
| Draft | 26 ft (7.9 m) |
| Installed power | 13,400 hp (10,000 kW) |
| Propulsion | STR nuclear reactor (later redesignated S2W), geared steam turbines, two shafts |
| Speed | 23 kn (43 km/h; 26 mph) |
| Complement | 13 officers, 92 enlisted |
| Armament | 6 torpedo tubes |
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U.S.S. Nautilus (Nuclear Submarine)
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USS Nautilus docked at the Submarine Force Library and Museum
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| Location | Groton, Connecticut |
| Built | 1952-1955, (commissioned 1954) |
| Architect | General Dynamics Corporation |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002653 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | 16 May 1979 |
| Designated NHL | 20 May 1982 |
The USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was the world's first submarine to be powered by nuclear power. This amazing ship was also the first submarine to travel completely underwater across the North Pole. This historic journey happened on August 3, 1958.
The Nautilus was named after the famous fictional submarine from Jules Verne's classic 1870 science fiction novel, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Another U.S. Navy submarine, the USS Nautilus (SS-168), also had this name and served bravely in World War II.
The new nuclear-powered Nautilus was approved in 1951. Its construction began in 1952. The submarine was launched in January 1954, with Mamie Eisenhower, the First Lady of the United States, as its sponsor. It officially joined the United States Navy in September 1954.
Because its nuclear propulsion allowed it to stay underwater for much longer than older submarines, the Nautilus broke many records. It traveled to places that submarines could not reach before. The information learned from Nautilus helped make future submarines even better.
The Nautilus was taken out of service in 1980. In 1982, it was named a National Historic Landmark. Today, the submarine is a museum ship at the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, Connecticut. About 250,000 people visit it every year.
Contents
Building the First Nuclear Submarine
The idea for the first nuclear submarine started in March 1950. In July 1951, the United States Congress approved building a nuclear-powered submarine for the United States Navy. This project was carefully watched by Captain (who later became Admiral) Hyman G. Rickover. He is known as the "Father of the Nuclear Navy."
On December 12, 1951, the U.S. Navy announced the submarine would be called Nautilus. It was the fourth U.S. Navy ship to have this name. Its official number was SSN-571.
The Nautilus's keel (the main support structure of a ship) was laid down by President Harry S. Truman on June 14, 1952. This happened at General Dynamics' Electric Boat Division in Groton, Connecticut. The submarine was officially named and launched on January 21, 1954, with Mamie Eisenhower as its sponsor. The Nautilus was put into service on September 30, 1954, led by Commander Eugene P. Wilkinson.
The Nautilus was powered by a special nuclear reactor called the Submarine Thermal Reactor (STR). This reactor was later renamed the S2W reactor. It was a pressurized water reactor made by Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Nuclear power was a huge advantage for submarines because it doesn't need air to work. This means the submarine could stay underwater for a very long time. This design became the basis for almost all U.S. nuclear-powered ships.
The Nautilus's ship patch (a special emblem) was designed by The Walt Disney Company.
"Underway on Nuclear Power"
After joining the Navy, the Nautilus stayed at the dock for more building and testing. On January 17, 1955, at 11 AM, Commander Eugene P. Wilkinson gave the famous order: "Underway on nuclear power." This meant the submarine was moving using its nuclear engine for the first time.
On May 10, the Nautilus began its first test trip. It traveled 1,100 nmi (2,000 km; 1,300 mi) from New London to San Juan, Puerto Rico, completely underwater. It covered 1,200 nmi (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) in less than 90 hours. At that time, this was the longest and fastest underwater journey ever made by a submarine.
From 1955 to 1957, the Nautilus continued to test how fast and how long it could stay underwater. These tests showed that the ways of fighting submarines from World War II were now outdated. Things like radar and anti-submarine aircraft were not as effective against a submarine that could move quickly, change depth, and stay submerged for a very long time.
On February 4, 1957, the Nautilus had traveled 110,000 km; 69,000 mi (nautical miles). This matched the distance traveled by the fictional Nautilus in Jules Verne's novel. In May, it went to the Pacific Coast to practice with other ships.
The Nautilus returned to New London, Connecticut, on July 21. On August 19, it left again for its first trip of 1,200 nmi (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) under the polar ice. After that, it went to the Eastern Atlantic to join NATO exercises and visit ports in Britain and France. It returned to New London on October 28.
Operation Sunshine: Under the North Pole
After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, President Eisenhower wanted the U.S. Navy to show its strength. He ordered a submarine trip under the North Pole. On April 25, 1958, the Nautilus began this journey, now commanded by Commander William R. Anderson.
It left Seattle on June 9 for its historic polar trip, called "Operation Sunshine." On June 19, it entered the Chukchi Sea, but thick ice forced it to turn back. On June 28, it arrived at Pearl Harbor to wait for better ice conditions.
By July 23, the ice had improved, and the Nautilus headed north again. It went underwater in the Barrow Sea Valley on August 1. On August 3, at 11:15 PM, it became the first ship to reach the geographic North Pole. This amazing navigation was possible because of a new Inertial Navigation System installed on the Nautilus.
From the North Pole, the Nautilus continued its journey. After 96 hours and 1,590 nmi (2,940 km; 1,830 mi) under the ice, it surfaced northeast of Greenland. It had completed the first successful underwater voyage around the North Pole. Scientists like Dr. Waldo Lyon helped plan this mission and were on board.
Navigating under the Arctic ice was very hard. Normal compasses don't work well near the North Pole. A special gyrocompass was installed just before the trip. Commander Anderson even thought about using torpedoes to blast a hole in the ice if the submarine needed to surface.
The most difficult part of the journey was in the Bering Strait. The ice there went as deep as 60 ft (18 m) below the surface. The submarine had to find a narrow channel to pass through.
This trip under the ice cap was a big success for America. The Soviets had just launched Sputnik, but they didn't have a nuclear submarine yet. President Eisenhower even suggested that one day nuclear cargo submarines might use this route for trade.
After the journey, Commander Anderson was flown to Washington, D.C. On August 8, President Eisenhower gave him the Legion of Merit award. He also announced that the crew had earned a Presidential Unit Citation, a special award for their bravery.
Later Years and Retirement
After its historic polar journey, the Nautilus went into a shipyard for its first major repair and upgrade. This happened from May 1959 to August 1960. After that, it went on its first deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in October 1960.
The Nautilus spent most of its career in New London, Connecticut. It worked with other submarines and received maintenance from a special support ship called the USS Fulton (AS-11).
The Nautilus took part in many exercises in the Atlantic Ocean. In October 1962, it was part of the naval blockade of Cuba. In August 1963, it went on another two-month trip to the Mediterranean. It then went into the shipyard again for more work in January 1964.
On May 2, 1966, the Nautilus returned to its homeport. At some point that month, it had traveled 560,000 km; 350,000 mi nautical miles. In November 1966, during an exercise, it accidentally bumped into the aircraft carrier USS Essex. After repairs, it continued its operations.
On April 9, 1979, the Nautilus began its very last voyage from Groton, Connecticut. It reached the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California, on May 26, 1979. This was its last day moving under its own power. The Nautilus was officially taken out of service on March 3, 1980.
Noise Issues
Towards the end of its service, the Nautilus's body and sail (the tower on top) vibrated a lot. This made its sonar (sound detection system) not work well at speeds over 4 kn (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph). Since submarines need to be very quiet to avoid being detected, this was a big problem. The Navy learned from this issue and made later nuclear submarines much quieter.
Awards and Honors
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| Presidential Unit Citation with Operation Sunshine clasp |
National Defense Service Medal |
The Nautilus as a Museum
The Nautilus was named a National Historic Landmark on May 20, 1982. This means it's a very important historical site.
In 1983, it was named the official state ship of Connecticut. After a lot of work to turn it into a museum, the Nautilus was towed back to Groton. It arrived on July 6, 1985. On April 11, 1986, the Nautilus opened to the public as part of the Submarine Force Library and Museum.
The Nautilus now serves as a museum about submarine history. It is run by the Naval History and Heritage Command. In 2002, the ship had a five-month preservation project that cost about $4.7 million. Today, the Nautilus attracts about 250,000 visitors each year to its home near Naval Submarine Base New London.
On September 30, 2004, the Nautilus celebrated 50 years since it was first put into service. Its first commanding officer, Vice Admiral Eugene P. Wilkinson, gave a speech at the ceremony. The ship was also named an American Nuclear Society National Nuclear Landmark.
Visitors can tour the front two sections of the submarine. An automated system guides them. Tours of the back sections are not allowed due to safety and security reasons.
In March 2022, the Nautilus began another restoration project. This work was expected to take 6 to 8 months and cost about $36 million. It included cleaning and painting the hull, installing new top decks, and upgrading the lights and electrical systems inside.
See also
In Spanish: USS Nautilus (SSN-571) para niños
- USS Skate (SSN-578) (the first submarine to surface at the North Pole)
- List of museum ships
