<,
Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Program.
The Committee had an excel-
Lentbriefing on this subject from Gen. Keirn, Col, Wassell, and Col,
Krisberg,
The Committee was favorably impressed by the plan to marry the
ORNL~Pratt & Whitney programs for the so-called "fireball" propulsion
mechanism, which would provide atomic power for cruising and chemical
power for the take-off, and both chemical and atomic power for the |
run over the target. Two other possibilities were suggested in the
discussion. They included a General Electric device, and another..
proposal made by the Nuclear Development Associates, The Committee
did not learn enough about these proposals to form any opinion.
However, we suggestthat a study be made of the program as a
whole in regard to unnecessary duplication, and the, sharpening of
objectives to prevent the program from going off into too many
directions. These reservations should not be construed to suggest
a delay In the combined ORNL-Pratt & Whitney program.
3. Cost of fabrication of fuel elements. Mr. Davis presented the
question to us of whether we had any suggestions for reducing the
cost of fabrication of fuel elements for reactors, particularlyin
the Pressurized Water Reactor,
.
Whilethe:Committee has no positive suggestion to nake, the
question
arosé indurdiscission whethér we have HOETBSSnpayingtoo
much attention in our reactor designs to reducing the amounts of
fissionable material for loading at the price of high costfor
fabrication of fuel elements and other parts of the structure, and
whether an important reduction in overall costs could be effected as
a result of the application of less stringent tolerances in fabrication, The greater availability of fissionable material makes. this
line of development more promising than it had been in the past,
4,
Scientific conference in support of the President's plan for an
_-dnternatioal pool of fissionable material.. This subject. was ae
cussed at great length by the Committee without reaching @ unanimous
conclusion.
Since the Commission had the opportunity o| f hearing. the opinion
of each member,of the Committee, I shall not try to make any summary
in this report., The ¥arious suggestions will be available in the
Minutes of the Meeting.