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Atomic Insights

Atomic energy technology, politics, and perceptions from a nuclear energy insider who served as a US nuclear submarine engineer officer

The Atomic Show #133 – Todd Tucker, Author Atomic America

May 27, 2009 By Rod Adams

Atomic America has a thought provoking subtitle – “How a Deadly Explosion and a Feared Admiral Changed the Course of Nuclear History”. The unifying story through the book is one that most nuclear trained people know a little about – the accident at the Army’s SL-1 that took place on January 3, 1961.

In Atomic America, Todd Tucker, a Notre Dame history major who spent five years in the US nuclear navy, explores that story in great detail and puts names and descriptions to the three operators on duty that night. He also explains clearly why that event was a one of a kind within the nuclear power programs of the military services and within the US nuclear power industry.

I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Related Posts

  • Letter from the Editor: Solving the SL-1 Mystery
http://s3.amazonaws.com/AtomicShowFiles/tpn_atomic_20090525_133.mp3

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Filed Under: Accidents, Alternative energy, Army Nuclear Program, Atomic history, Atomic Pioneers, Podcast Tagged With: ALCO, Army Nuclear Power, SL-1

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About Rod Adams

Rod Adams is an atomic energy expert with small nuclear plant operating and design experience, now serving as a Managing Partner at Nucleation Capital, an emerging climate-focused fund. Rod, a former submarine Engineer Officer and founder of Adams Atomic Engines, Inc., one of the earliest advanced nuclear ventures, has engaged in technical, strategic, political, historic and financial discussion and analysis of the nuclear industry, its technology and policies for several decades. He is the founder of Atomic Insights and host and producer of The Atomic Show Podcast.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarPete says

    May 28, 2009 at 1:33 PM

    Good show. It is nice hearing two Navy nukes reminisce about the old days. However, you didn’t spend very much time talking about the actual events surrounding the SL-1 accident (aside from the discussion regarding the control rod manipulation) or what happened to the three operators. I suppose I’ll need to buy the book now.

  2. AvatarKarl Sackett says

    June 1, 2009 at 2:14 PM

    Thanks for this interview. My father was a lab techie at NRTS/INEL from 1963 until his retirement, and the stories he told me about SL-1 he got firsthand from people involved in the recovery, clean-up, and investigation work.

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