Accouterments of War and Defense

NASA's Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA) program at the Nuclear Rocket Development Station (NRDS), Jackass Flats, Nevada was contracted by Pan American Airways to develop a nuclear Engine for future manned flight to Mars. This 1950 - 1960's Kiwi nuclear reactor Program code-named" Project Rover," consisted of test cells, A, C, and ETS-1 Engine Test Stand; R-MAD and E-MAD (Reactor and Engine Maintenance Assembly and Disassembly facilities; a Control Point/Technical Operations complex; an Administrative area; and a Radioactive material storage area. The three test cells were connected by a railroad where a remote-controlled locomotive transported the highly-radioactive reactor between the assembly complexes and the test stand. It was called the railroad "Jackass Rail Line, the worlds shortest and slowest".