Editing Nuclear reactor (section)

==Nuclear accidents==
{{See also|Lists of nuclear disasters and radioactive incidents}}
[[File:Fukushima I by Digital Globe.jpg|thumb|Three of the reactors at [[Fukushima I nuclear accidents|Fukushima I]] overheated, causing the coolant water to [[Water splitting|dissociate]] and led to the hydrogen explosions. This along with fuel [[nuclear meltdown|meltdowns]] released large amounts of [[radioactive]] material into the air.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/02/world/asia/02japan.html?_r=1&ref=world |title=Report Finds Japan Underestimated Tsunami Danger |author=Fackler, Martin |date=1 June 2011 |work=The New York Times }}</ref>]]

Serious, though rare, [[Nuclear and radiation accidents and incidents|nuclear and radiation accidents]] have occurred. These include the [[Windscale fire]] (October 1957), the [[SL-1]] accident (1961), the [[Three Mile Island accident]] (1979), [[Chernobyl disaster]] (April 1986), and the [[Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster]] (March 2011).<ref name=timenuke/> [[Nuclear-powered submarine]] mishaps include the [[Soviet submarine K-19|K-19]] reactor accident (1961),<ref name=rad>[http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Magazines/Bulletin/Bull413/article1.pdf Strengthening the Safety of Radiation Sources] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111213912/http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Magazines/Bulletin/Bull413/article1.pdf |date=11 January 2015 }} p. 14.</ref> the [[Soviet submarine K-27|K-27]] reactor accident (1968),<ref name=johnston2007>{{cite web |url=http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/nuclear/radevents/radevents1.html |title=Deadliest radiation accidents and other events causing radiation casualties |author=Johnston, Robert |date=23 September 2007 |publisher=Database of Radiological Incidents and Related Events |access-date=27 June 2011 |archive-date=23 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023104305/http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/nuclear/radevents/radevents1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and the [[Soviet submarine K-431|K-431]] reactor accident (1985).<ref name=timenuke>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090328130544/http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1887705,00.html The Worst Nuclear Disasters]. ''Time''.</ref>

Nuclear reactors have been launched into Earth orbit at least 34 times. A number of incidents connected with the unmanned nuclear-reactor-powered Soviet [[RORSAT]] especially [[Kosmos 954]] radar satellite which resulted in nuclear fuel reentering the Earth's atmosphere from orbit and being dispersed in northern Canada (January 1978).