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Chattanooga Knows: Who built the nuclear reactor for the first atomic submarine, Nautilus?

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. The nuclear reactor for the submarine was built by Combustion Engineering, a former Chattanooga fixture. (AP Photo/John Rooney)
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. The nuclear reactor for the submarine was built by Combustion Engineering, a former Chattanooga fixture. (AP Photo/John Rooney) 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. The nuclear reactor for the submarine was built by Combustion Engineering, a former Chattanooga fixture. (AP Photo/John Rooney)

By Staff Report 1 min read

Q. Who built the nuclear reactor for the first atomic submarine, Nautilus?

A. Chattanooga’s Combustion Engineering built the reactor for Nautilus, which became active in 1955. Combustion, with more than 5,700 workers, was the largest employer in Chattanooga in the 1980s and was later sold to Alstom Power and then GE Power, which ultimately closed the Chattanooga plant in 2021. Nautilus was decommissioned March 3, 1980, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command. On May 20, 1982, the Nautilus was designated a National Historic Landmark by the secretary of the interior in recognition of the submarine’s pioneering role in the practical use of nuclear power, according to the command’s website.

The Combustion Engineering site is being redeveloped as a major riverfront development known as The Bend.

Do you have Chattanooga related trivia to share or a question you’d like answered? Email news@timesfreepress.com with subject line Chattanooga Knows.