First nuclear reactor in Latin America (IEA-R1)
Primer reactor nuclear de Latinoamérica (IEA-R1)
- Date
- 16 de septiembre de 1957 · confidence high
- Place
- Atomic Energy Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Credited to
- Atomic Energy Institute (Brazil), with support from the Atoms for Peace programme
- Field
- Matter & energy
What it is
A pool-type research reactor that reached criticality in September 1957 at the University of São Paulo. It was the first in Latin America and the southern hemisphere and was used to produce radioisotopes and train staff.
The Argentine RA-1, the first reactor in the region designed and built by local technicians, reached criticality on 17 January 1958 in Buenos Aires.
What it led to
- Medical and industrial radioisotopes in Brazil
- Training of Latin American nuclear physicists
- The Brazilian nuclear programme