Otto Hahn (ship): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 22:41, 6 November 2005

Revision as of 20:29, 24 November 2005

Line 1:

'''''Otto Hahn''''' is one of only four [[List of civilian nuclear ships|nuclear-powered cargo vessels ever built]]. Planning of a German-built trade and research vessel to test the feasibility of nuclear power in civil service began in [[1960]], and <i>Otto Hahn</i>'s keel was laid down in [[1963]] by [[Howaldtswerke]] Deutsche Werft AG of [[Kiel]]. She was [[ship naming and launching|launched]] in [[1964]] sponsored by Dr. [[Otto Hahn]], a German physicistchemist who had helped describe the generation of energy via nuclear decayfission, and then spent the rest of his life advocating peaceful uses for this power. In [[1968]], the ship's 38-megawatt [[nuclear reactor]] was taken critical and sea trials began. In October of that year, NS ''Otto Hahn'' was certified for commercial freight transport and research.

Configured to carry passengers and ore, ''Otto Hahn'' made her first port call in [[Casablanca]] in [[1970]]. In [[1972]], after four years of operation, her reactor was refueled. She had covered some 250,000 nautical miles (463,000 km) on 22 kilograms of [[uranium]].