The U.S. once built a nuclear ship ... for passengers

The bridge of the NS , equipped with weather and communication instruments, would send orders to the reactor control room. Meredith Rizzo for NPR hide caption

toggle caption Meredith Rizzo for NPR

The bridge of the NS , equipped with weather and communication instruments, would send orders to the reactor control room.

Meredith Rizzo for NPR

In the Port of Baltimore, a ship is docked that hasn't transported passengers for more than 50 years. And although it stopped only after a few years, largely due to a lack of money, it successful in part.

That's because the ship, the NS , was the first and only nuclear-powered passenger ship. And it was meant to show that nuclear power could be used for peaceful purposes. Science correspondent took a tour of the ship and talks to host about why it was built, how it worked and why it was the only one of its kind.

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