goingcritical:clementineUnited States · Research reactor

Clementine

Developer: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory

Site: Los Alamos, New Mexico

Status: Critical since November 21, 1946 critical

Summary:

World's first fast-neutron reactor (full power reached March 1949)

Details

DesignPlutonium-fueled, mercury-cooled fast reactor
Capacity0.025 MW (thermal where reported)

Milestone history

  1. Announced —
  2. Construction start —
  3. Fuel load —
  4. First criticality November 21, 1946

References

  1. ANS Nuclear Newswire, Clementine — the world's first fast neutron reactor
  2. Nuclear Technology, detailed history of the Los Alamos plutonium fast reactor