On this day in 1955, the Convair NB-36H made history as the first aircraft to carry an onboard nuclear reactor. While the reactor didn't power the engines, the flight was a bold step in exploring the possibilities of nuclear-powered aviation during the Cold War era. The experiment aimed to create aircraft with virtually unlimited range—an ambitious concept that highlighted both the promise and complexity of nuclear energy in aerospace. This moment reminds us: innovation often begins with daring ideas that test the limits of technology.