Sights from a nuclear-powered merchant vessel

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The flagship of Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace program was the NS Savannah, a nuclear-powered merchant ship, which is now docked in Baltimore, Maryland.


It carried passengers and cargo to demonstrate civilian use of nuclear. The economics didn't pencil out then, but the current price of oil makes it looks pretty good. They made the designation "NS" just for this ship, because "SS" means "screw steamer" or "steam ship" depending on who you ask. Of course, it did still run on steam. Almost all nuclear power anywhere is used to make steam.


The ship is a history museum now, though it looks like one could also throw amazing parties on it. They cut one of the heat exchangers into a cross-section so people can see what one of those looks like. Again, steam, because nuclear is mostly about heat.


The spaces, especially in the public areas, have great atomic-age styling. It feels like a set piece in Fallout. But of course that aesthetic flows from historical design like this to those contemporary takes.


w00t go Baltimore 




Location: Baltimore, MD

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