Whisker Lickin' Good
Nuclear Powered Car
In the 1950s, optimistic enthusiasm abounded for peaceful uses of nuclear energy. This drawing shows a Ford Nucleon nuclear-powered car, with the radioactive core stored way back in the rear. The black-and-white inset shows the nuclear fuel being changed by a robotic arm, which would be needed only once every 5,000 miles. The engineers didn't quite grasp the amount of lead shielding that would be needed around the reactor. (Drawing on display at Alamogordo, NM.) See also this article from Sept. 2008
Nuclear Powered Car
In the 1950s, optimistic enthusiasm abounded for peaceful uses of nuclear energy. This drawing shows a Ford Nucleon nuclear-powered car, with the radioactive core stored way back in the rear. The black-and-white inset shows the nuclear fuel being changed by a robotic arm, which would be needed only once every 5,000 miles. The engineers didn't quite grasp the amount of lead shielding that would be needed around the reactor. (Drawing on display at Alamogordo, NM.) See also this article from Sept. 2008