 The Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion ( ANP ) project was ORNL 's biggest program , using 25 % of ORNL 's budget . The ANP project 's military goal was to produce a nuclear @-@ powered aircraft ( a bomber ) to overcome the range limitations of jet @-@ fueled aircraft at that time . That the project had little chance of success was not overlooked , but it provided employment and allowed ORNL to stay in the reactor development business . ORNL successfully built and operated a prototype of an aircraft reactor power plant by creating the world 's first molten salt fueled and cooled reactor called the Aircraft Reactor Experiment ( ARE ) in 1954 , which set a record high temperature of operation of 1 @,@ 600 ° F ( 870 ° C ) . Due to the radiation hazard posed to aircrew , and people on the ground in the event of a crash , new developments in ballistic missile technology , aerial refueling and longer range jet bombers , President Kennedy canceled the program in June 1961 . 
