I have been particularly Impressed by the SEALAB 

 experiments which are just beginning to unfold the poten- 

 tial of man's exploitation of the continental shelf. I 

 am fascinated by the program just being started by our 

 own Dr. MacLean of NOTS which will enable men to live In 

 houses on the ocean bottom at several thousand-foot 

 depths just as we now live at home. 



The NR-1, being constructed at Groton, Connecticut, 

 and expected to be launched In 1968, will be the first 

 true research submersible. With Its nuclear propulsion. 

 It will be able to remain submerged for several weeks. 

 Independent of surface conditions. Its ability to oper- 

 ate will be limited only by the endurance of Its con- 

 sumables. In April 1965, when President Johnson 

 announced that the Navy and the AEC were j'olntly develop- 

 ing a nuclear-powered, deep- submerged research and 

 engineering vehicle, the NR-1, he noted that vehicles 

 developed to date were limited by short endurance of 

 propulsion and auxiliary power. 



This will truly be a. revolutionary vehicle, able to 

 operate at depths considerably deeper than the conti- 

 nental shelf. 



NR-l's long endurance and Its Independence from the 

 ocean surface has forced a development program which 

 will benefit Industry, the academic community, and the 

 Navy. On surface ships, one can always reel in instru- 

 ments and. work on them topside. When conventional sub- 

 mersibles come to the surface after a day's operation 

 for battery charging, most of the equipment is usually 

 inoperable and must be repaired on the mother ship or 

 ashore . 



In order to fully utilize the advantage of NR-l's 

 nuclear power and continuous operation capability. 

 Admiral Rlckover and Dr. Craven have had to embark on a. 

 significant development program in order to make the 

 oceanographic suit reliable. 



In one specific test case, we had an external 

 electrical connector designed for a conventional sub- 

 mersible down at 100-200 feet only to discover it failed 

 in a. day or two. We solved this problem by eliminating 

 this type of external connector in designing NR-1. 



Our undersea technology effort is supported by 

 wide-spread test facilities, ranging from large model 

 basins and pressure testing facilities, to underwater 

 test and evaluation ranges, and many specialized 



XVll 



