1954年1月“鹦鹉螺”号核潜艇下水在原子弹研制成功、美国用于原理试验的反应堆已可稳定工作并长期持续输出正功率的前提下,1946年,美国海军决定成立原子能研究机构。海曼·乔治·里科弗主持该机构的工作。经过论证和研究,里科弗提出美国海军核动力计划的第一步应该放在潜艇上,因为核动力可以使潜艇获得几乎无限的航程,这对提高潜艇的作战能力与隐蔽性有极大的好处。 January 1954 “Nautilus ” nuclear submarine launched In 1946, the U.S. Navy decided to establish an atomic energy research institute under the premise of the successful development of the atomic bomb and the fact that the reactor used in the United States for principle testing has been able to work stably and continuously outputting positive power in the long run. Hyman George Ricoeur presided over the agency’s work. After demonstration and research, the first step in the development of the U.S. Navy’s nuclear-power program should be on the submarine because nuclear power can make the submarine gain an almost unlimited range, which is of great significance for improving the combat capability and concealment of the submarine benefit.