Highlights of Y-12’s History
Highlights of Y-12’s History
View highlights by decade since Y-12's initial planning and wartime mission starting in 1942 through its current missions today. Click a decade below to show its highlights. Click again to hide.
1940s — An era of intense activity that included construction of Y-12, completion of its World War II mission of separating the uranium 235 for Little Boy - the first atomic bomb ever used in warfare, and the start of its new mission of manufacturing uranium components for nuclear weapons.
| — 1940s — |
| 1942 |
September — Decision to building Electromagnetic Separation Plant (Y‑12) in East Tennessee |
| December — Specific site selected |
| 1943 |
February 1 — Ground broken for Y‑12 |
| February 18 — First building started (9201-1) |
March — Building 9731 Pilot Plant was first building completed
March — 14,700 tons of silver borrowed to wind coils of Calutron magnets |
| August — Building 9201-1 (Alpha 1) completed |
| September — First alpha track of Calutrons finished |
| October — Building 9201-2 (Alpha 2) completed |
November — Building 9201-3 (Alpha 3) completed
November — Building 9204-2 (Beta 2 completed |
| December — Major start up problems with alpha track |
| 1944 |
January — Second alpha track of Calutrons started operation |
| March — First Uranium 235 separated, processed and shipped to Los Alamos |
| May — Building 9201-5 (Alpha 5) completed |
| October — Building 9201-4 (Alpha 4) completed |
| November — Building 9204-1 (Beta 1) completed |
| 1945 |
March — Building 9204-3 (Beta 3) completed |
| July — Building 9204-4 (Beta 4) completed |
| July/August — About 22,000 people were working at Y‑12 |
| August 6 — Uranium-235 electromagnetically separated by the Y‑12 plant is used in Little Boy, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan |
| 1946 |
August — Y‑12 produces first stable isotopes—the genesis of the medical isotope program |
| December — All calutrons shut down except those in Building 9731 and Beta 3 |
| 1947 |
April — Staff reduced to less than 3,000 |
| July — Uranium from K-25 reduced to metal and uranium machining technology brought from Los Alamos to Y‑12 to begin Y‑12's next major mission of manufacturing uranium components for nuclear weapons. |
| 1948 |
March — First nuclear weapons parts manufactured at Y‑12 |
| 1949 |
March 19 — The gates to the “Secret City” open — Y‑12 is still not on any maps |
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1950s — A decade of increased activity, new missions and tremendous growth in stature. Zirconium separation, lithium separation and manufacturing components for thermonuclear weapons testing and deployment dominated the scene described by Alex Zucker as a “heady time” at Y‑12.
| — 1950s — |
| 1950 |
January — Hydrogen bomb development announced by President Truman |
| Large-scale precision machining of beryllium at Y‑12 |
| Hafnium separated from zirconium to produce pure zirconium for cladding nuclear reactor fuel |
| March — Beta 3 used for experiments with cyclotrons and separation of stable isotopes by Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
| 1951 |
ELEX (electrical) process developed for separating lithium 6 |
| Nitrogen experiment in 63-in. Cyclotron in Beta 3 proves H‑bomb would not ignite the atmosphere |
| 1952 |
Experiments began using 86-in. Cyclotron in Alpha 2 |
| OREX (organic) process attempted to separate lithium 6 |
| October — First thermonuclear device tested |
| 1953 |
ELEX process placed in production in Beta 4 with 50,000 stirring motors |
| October — First lithium hydride parts machined at Y‑12 |
| November — First thermonuclear device test parts produced and assembled at Y‑12 |
| 1954 |
October — The first batch of thermonuclear parts is assembled and shipped from Y‑12 |
| 1955 |
COLEX processes installed in Alpha 4 and Alpha 5 to separate lithium 6 |
| Mercury spills occurred between 1953 and 1963 that entered East Fork Poplar Creek |
| 1957 |
Improved uranium purification system designed and installed |
| 1958 |
7,500-ton press installed |
| 1959 |
COLEX process in Alpha 5 is shut down because Alpha 4 is meeting all production demands |
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1960s — A time of expansion and steady improvements in machining capabilities brought Y-12 to the forefront of precision machining and measurement. Computerization and major breakthroughs such as the numerical controlled machines with air-bearing spindles and diamond cutting tools are seen across the site.
| — 1960s — |
| 1960 |
First numerically controlled machine installed at Y‑12 |
| 1961 |
Y‑12 formally recognized as having best precision machining facilities and capability in nation |
| 1962 |
Superfine machining era begins at Y‑12 using diamond cutting tools, interferometers and air bearing spindles — a Y‑12 invention that enabled highly precise machining where “1/10th” is commonly understood to mean “1/10,000th” of an inch. |
| 1963 |
COLEX process shut down in Alpha 4 |
| 1964 |
The air-bearing spindle is installed on a production tape-controlled turning machine |
| 1966 |
The air-bearing spindle proves to be a major machining technology breakthrough and the technology is transferred to private industry |
| 1967 |
Y‑12 produces the NASA “moon boxes” to bring back lunar-surface geological samples to Earth |
| Y‑12 holds first open house in Building 9737 in conjunction with Oak Ridge's 25th birthday celebration |
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1970s — Y-12 awakens to the realities of environmental requirements as necessary prerequisites to doing the mission and renewal of 30-year-old infrastructure. Missions continue to expand and Y-12’s vital contribution to fighting the Cold War is well established.
| — 1970s — |
| 1970 |
Environmental concerns of asbestos, PCBs, lead paint, etc., have significant impact on Y‑12 operations |
| Last of 14,700 tons of silver borrowed from U. S. Treasury is returned when the magnets in Building 9731 are converted from silver windings to copper |
| 1972 |
Y‑12 begins “stockpile surveillance” disassembly to study effects of aging in nuclear weapons |
| 1974 |
AEC is changed to Energy Research and Development Agency and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission |
| Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation research is begun at Y‑12 |
| Utilities Systems Restoration and Production Capabilities Restoration Programs initiated |
| 1975 |
Y‑12 facilities are used to store highly enriched uranium that is not in a nuclear weapon |
| 1977 |
Department of Energy created to replace ERDA |
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1980s —A period of an enormously heavy workload and around-the-clock activities at Y‑12. Some 8,000 people worked feverishly to manufacture as many nuclear weapon secondaries as possible knowing the pressure was on Y‑12 to lead the way toward winning the Cold War. And that was the case when the pace set by Y-12 workers succeeded in breaking the Soviet Union’s economic back and ending the Cold War.
| — 1980s — |
| 1982 |
Major security upgrade at Y‑12 |
| 1983 |
First steps taken to close “S-3 Ponds” |
| Mercury issue surfaced and congressional hearings held at Oak Ridge's American Museum of Science and Energy |
| 1984 |
Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. selected to manage DOE's Oak Ridge, Paducah and Portsmouth facilities, including Y‑12 |
| 1986 |
Y‑12 wins special award for having best computer-integrated manufacturing program in nation |
| 1988 |
Navy work for Seawolf submarine begins |
| 1989 |
Cold War production led to 8,000 people working around the clock to produce nuclear weapons resulting in the breaking of the Soviet Union's economic back as they attempted to match Y‑12's pace |
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1990s — A decade of radical change from high production to weapons reductions and returns for disassembly. First forays into nuclear weapons nonproliferation when Former Soviet Union countries required assistance to protect nuclear materials. Y‑12’s tremendous technology and skills are taken into every state in the union to assist private industry. Y‑12 becomes a National Prototype Center.
| — 1990s — |
| 1990 |
Cold War ends with Soviet Union collapse and Berlin wall opened |
| 1991 |
First weapons reduction announced by United States |
| 1992 |
First nuclear weapon disassembled for storage at Y‑12 beginning a new storage mission |
| 1993 |
Y-12 celebrates 50th Anniversary |
| New program of sharing Y‑12 technology and expertise with industry leads to years of assistance provided to private industry in all states across the nation |
| 1994 |
Y‑12 leads a team that airlifts enriched uranium from Kazakhstan to United States (Project Sapphire) |
| Surplus highly enriched uranium is placed under international safeguards at Y‑12. |
| September 23 — Y‑12 is shut down because of conduct of operations concerns — restart required |
| 1997 |
Y‑12 meets the requirement for an upgraded B61-11 weapons system ahead of schedule |
| Congress designates Y‑12 the National Prototype Center |
| 1998 |
The first production unit is met ahead of schedule for the W87 Life Extension Program. |
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2000s — A time of renewed spirit, revitalization and modernization. First new production building in 30 years is completed, new enriched uranium storage building is constructed as the most secure location in the world and two new office buildings put a brand new face on Y‑12.
| — 2000s — |
| 2000 |
National Nuclear Security Administration created by Congress |
| November — BWXT Y‑12 chosen to manage Y‑12 |
| 2001 |
Footprint reduction begins with demolition of Manhattan Project–era wooden buildings |
| 2002 |
Approval obtained to construct new uranium storage facility |
| 2003 |
Construction begins on the Purification Facility, the first major production facility to be built at Y‑12 in more than 30 years |
| Y-12 celebrates 60th anniversary |
| 2004 |
Construction begins on the Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility (HEUMF), the largest design effort at Y‑12 in more than a decade |
| Nuclear materials and process designs surrendered by Libya are transferred to Y‑12, some of which are displayed at a media event attended by Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham |
| President Bush inspects Libyan nuclear materials secured in Oak Ridge, and Condoleezza Rice expresses appreciation for Y‑12 support in combating weapons of mass destruction |
| The W87 life extension program is completed successfully and on schedule |
| A new storage facility opens for preserving Y‑12 historical records; it employs document protection technologies used in the new Bill Clinton and Dwight D. Eisenhower presidential libraries |
| 2005 |
Beta 3 Calutrons opened for public tour for first time ever |
| Approvals given for design phases of the Uranium Processing Facility |
| 2006 |
Construction halted on HEUMF because of quality concerns |
| Construction began for two new private-financed facilities |
| 2007 |
March — Y-12 National Security Complex designated the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Uranium Center of Excellence |
| July — moved into the New Hope and Jack Case centers which are Y‑12's first private-financed facilities and includes the Y‑12 History Center |
| 2008 |
September — HEUMF completed |
| September 29 — Public Tour of HEUMF before security features added |
| 2009 |
Final touches put on HEUMF and movement of special nuclear material initiated |
| April — Stimulus package brings $292 million to jumpstart the Integrated Facilities Disposition Program at Y‑12 |
| 2010 |
Special nuclear materials movement to HEUMF to be completed |
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