Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-06-16
BY WILLIAM HINES
Star Science Writer

Star Science Writer
GATLINBURG. Tenn. June
l6.-A leading expert on nu-
clear propulsion said today
United States technology is at
the point where We should
start building an atomic air.
plane that will fly"
DR.. Miles c. Leverett said in
an interview that a nuclear-
powered plane mot any bigger
than a B-52 bomber" can be
built with techniques now mas
tered by atomic engineers and
plane makers. He predicted it
would take about five years
from the word go" on a nor
mally timed program, or three
years "if We so on an almost
crash basis"
DR.. Leverett heads the air.
craft nuclear propulsion de-
partment of the General Elec-
trio Co. at Cincinnati. He has
been working for several years
on development of atomic air.
plane engines at an Atomic
Energy Commission facility in
Eastern Idaho.
At present. DR.. Leverett said.
all that is needed by industry
is the go-ahead from the Gov
eminent. He said the airframe
and engines could be built in
about the same length of time
If work started now.
II we don't build 1t now, he
said, The airframe will be-
come the limiting factor"
REDS Know Enough"
DR.. Leverett, a director of
the American Nuclear Society
which is holding its annual
meeting at this Great Smoky
Mountain resort. said he is
confident the Russians know
enough to build an atomic
plane. He added that he knows
no more than has been pub
lished about nuclear-powered
craft being seen in the sky
over Red Square in recent
Communist night" demonstra-
tons.
The GE scientist predicted
that the first American nuclear
plane would be OF the "open
cycle type. This would be
propelled by one or more prob
ably four - Jet engines using
superheated air as the force 10
run their turbines. Either one
reactor or one per engine could
be used.
In a separate interview, DR.
Joseph S RoSen Of the Lock-
heed Aircraft Corp. agreed that
the open-cycle engine probably
would be preferable to the
closed-cycle, such as is used in
nuclesr submarines. Weight
factors favor the former. he
explained.
| Minimize Radiation Peril
I Both scientists minimized the
widely feared danger Of radia-
ton effects from a nuclear
plane where air is taken into
the propulsion system, heated
by passing through the reactol
and then elected from the jet
engines as in the open-cycle
type. Certain radioactive by
products are practically non
existent. they said.
DR. Leverett explained that
the principal dangerous ex-
haust material would be argon-
Al, a radioactive form of an
inert gas which is one OF the
minor componentS Of air. Ar
gon-4l, a gamma-ray emitter
is potentially dangerous but has
a half-life of only ITO minutes
! he said. The possibility OF
damage being done by argon-4l
released from a plane at high
altitude is nil, he added.
| Nitrogen. the chief ingredient
of air, might be transformed
occasionally into radioactive
nitrogen-l6, DR.. Leverett went
on. But after a few seconds this
would decay into ordinary at
mospheric oxygen. he said.
Heavy Shielding Seen
The two scientists discounted
the likelihood of any break
through in the field of shield.
ing. Any plane will have to have
massive lead shields to protec'
the crew and the plane itsel,
from dangerous radioactivity
they pointed out. But the!