Technology and Engineering Atlas

How Things Are Built
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Engineer

Hyman G. Rickover

Nuclear Engineering

Hyman G. Rickover was an American naval officer and nuclear engineer known as the father of the nuclear navy. Placed in charge of the U.S. Navy's nuclear propulsion program after the Second World War, he drove the engineering effort that produced USS Nautilus, commissioned in 1954 as the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, and he personally set exacting technical and training standards that shaped the design, construction and safety culture of every subsequent U.S. naval nuclear reactor. His decades-long tenure directing naval reactors, unusual for its length and personal technical control, established an operational safety record that influenced civilian nuclear engineering practice as well. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Birth Year
1900 1
Death Year
1986 1
Nationality
American 1
FAQs

How did Hyman G. Rickover choose the officers for nuclear ships?

He personally interviewed every prospective officer for a nuclear ship.

Rickover did the screening himself. According to the Nuclear Museum profile, he interviewed every prospective officer considered for a post on a nuclear ship, which came to tens of thousands of interviews. The same profile says these interviews highlighted his unorthodox style and stringent standards.

How long did Hyman G. Rickover serve in the Navy?

He served sixty-three years and retired in 1982.

Rickover was finally forced to retire in 1982, after sixty-three years of service. The Nuclear Museum profile states that he served longer than any other naval officer in history.
Connections

In Field

Source Hyman G. Rickover (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
In the Other Atlases

Nationality

Also in Geography Atlas: the nationality of this subject.

Sources
1. Hyman G. Rickover (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
  • Lead section
    Hyman George Rickover (27 January 1900-8 July 1986) was an admiral in the United States Navy.
  • In Field: Nuclear Engineering
  • In Group: Nuclear Reactor and Propulsion Pioneers, Lead paragraph
    He directed the original development of naval nuclear propulsion
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.