Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Getting Ready!

The Hanford Works was begun in the early 1940s.  There they began production of the Plutonium used in atomic bombs.  Each year there are a limited number of tours offered on a first come, first served basis.  On March ninth, I made sure I was up at a few minutes after midnight to grab mine.

That tour begins this morning at 9:30AM!  Cora and I will be enjoying views that not everyone gets to see.  We will also be going to the B-Reactor.  The first full sized production nuclear reactor.  It went critical for the first time in September of 1944, less than two years after breaking ground!  We will be standing within feet of the reactor face and will be standing on ground that Enrique Fermi stood on!

Hanford played a major part in plutonium production used in atomic bombs and tritium used in hydrogen bombs.  It is a Cold War heavy area with architecture both harsh and utilitarian.  Despite that, the buildings often offer a stark beauty.

Be assured, I will post about it tonight!

Don't expect any pictures, though, because cell phones and cameras are NOT ALLOWED!  Despite that, I will tell you about it!

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