Boeing-Rocketdyne
Santa Susana, CA
Reactor Data
Research Reactors
Research and test reactors, critical assemblies and prototypes at this site, as listed in the IAEA Research Reactor Database: type, thermal power, first criticality, shutdown date, current status and what each is used for.
17 reactors: 17 decommissioned.
| Reactor | Type | Thermal Power | First Criticality | Shutdown | Status | Used For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L-85 Nuclear Examination | Homog (l) | 3 kWt | 1952-04-21 | Decommissioned | materials testing, training | |
| KEWB Kinetic Experiment | Homog (l) | 5 kWt | 1956-07-01 | Decommissioned | materials testing, nuclear data | |
| SGR CA Sodium Graphite | Crit Assembly | 1 Wt | 1957-04-25 | Decommissioned | nuclear data | |
| OMR Organic Moderated Reactor | Crit Assembly | 1 Wt | 1958-07-01 | Decommissioned | ||
| SNAP Experimental Reactor | Space Test | 5 kWt | 1959-09-01 | Decommissioned | ||
| AETR Advanced Epithermal Thorium | Crit Fast | 1 Wt | 1960-01-01 | Decommissioned | nuclear data | |
| SNAP 2 Demonstration Reactor | Space Test | 65 kWt | 1961-04-03 | Decommissioned | ||
| SNAP CA-4A | Crit Assembly | 100 Wt | 1962-01-01 | Decommissioned | materials testing | |
| SNAP CA-4B | Crit Assembly | 100 Wt | 1962-02-15 | Decommissioned | materials testing | |
| SNAP CA-4C | Crit Assembly | 100 Wt | 1962-04-16 | Decommissioned | materials testing | |
| SNAPTRAN-1 | Zrh, Be Reflect | 40 Wt | 1963-01-01 | Decommissioned | ||
| SNAP 8 Experimental Reactor | Space Test | 6 kWt | 1963-04-01 | Decommissioned | ||
| STIR Shield Test and Irradiation Reactor | Pool | 1 MWt | 1964-08-01 | Decommissioned | materials testing | |
| SNAP CA-5 | Crit Assembly | 100 Wt | 1964-10-29 | Decommissioned | nuclear data | |
| SNAP 10 F-3 | Space Test | 44 kWt | 1965-01-22 | Decommissioned | ||
| SNAP 8 Demonstration Reactor | Space Test | 619 kWt | 1969-01-01 | Decommissioned | ||
| HMRFSR | Crit Fast | 200 Wt | 1970-01-01 | Decommissioned | materials testing |
Source: IAEA Research Reactor Database (RRDB), as of 2026-10-13.
Fuel Cycle Facilities
Fuel cycle plants at this site, as listed in the IAEA Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities Database: what each plant does, its scale and design capacity, the years it operated, its current status and who operates it.
1 facility: 1 decommissioned.
| Facility | Type | Scale | Design Capacity | Operated | Status | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuclear Material Development Facility | MOX fuel fabrication (Mox Powder, Pellet, Pin, FA) | Laboratory | 0 t HM/year | 1967–1980 | Decommissioned |
Source: IAEA Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities Database (NFCFDB), as of 2026-10-13.
Working Here
Jobs in CA 3 active
Active nuclear industry job listings in CA from the NukeWorker job board. Click a job title for full details, or click the header to search all jobs in this state.
Per Diem Rates FY 2027
Per diem covers lodging and meals & incidental expenses (M&IE) for government and contractor travel near this facility. Rates are from GSA for FY 2027.
$199
Lodging/Night
$86
M&IE/Day
$285
Total/Day
Los Angeles, Los Angeles / Orange / Ventura / Edwards AFB less the city of Santa Monica County, CA
Unemployment Benefits CA
Maximum state unemployment insurance benefits for CA. Actual benefits depend on your earnings history and may be lower than the maximum. Data as of Jan 2026.
$450
Max Weekly
26
Max Weeks
$11,700
Max Total
7-day waiting period before benefits begin
Photos
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Facility Map
Interactive satellite map showing the facility's geographic location. Marker color indicates current status: green for online, red for offline, orange for reduced power. Click the header to open in Google Maps satellite view.
34.232, -118.712
Location & Contact
Physical address, phone number, and website for this facility. Use the directions link to get driving directions via Google Maps.
Plant Facts
About This Site
Written by NukeWorker from public records: facts that do not change. Operator, status and capacity come from the live data elsewhere on this page. Sources: Wikipedia: Santa Susana Field Laboratory.
This entry corresponds to the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, a former rocket engine test and nuclear research site in the Simi Hills of unincorporated Ventura County, California, between Simi Valley and Los Angeles. It covers about 2,668 acres.
Read more
The site was chosen in 1947 for its remoteness. From 1949 to 2006 it was used mainly for liquid-propellant rocket engine development and testing. Nuclear reactors operated there from 1953 to 1980, without containment structures. The Sodium Reactor Experiment operated from 1957 to 1964 and was the first U.S. reactor to supply electricity to a commercial grid. It suffered a partial core meltdown in 1959 and was removed in 1981. Boeing became the primary owner in 1996, and research and development ceased in 2006 as environmental cleanup began.