AFP image
Kalpakkam:
India's nuclear powered submarine INS Arihant, launched last week by the Prime Minister, is undergoing sea trials. The heart of the submarine is a new nuclear reactor.
A nuclear powered submarine, as against a diesel one, can stay longer under sea.
For the first time, media will be allowed to see the prototype of the submarine's reactor which has been running for the last five years on land at Kalpakkam.
Only five other countries have mastered this technology -- Russia, USA, France, UK and China.
Here are some of the exclusive details of the baby nuclear reactor inside the submarine:
- It is believed that a 80 MW miniaturised nuclear reactor is housed in the submarine. It is powered using highly enriched uranium.
- India had to master this technology as it is a new reactor designed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) with Russian help.
- Miniaturisation of reactor that can fit into a submarine is the biggest challenge.
- The reactor on board the submarine will be fired some time later.
- The submarine will also carry, nuclear tipped ballistic missiles.
