Naval Submarine Base New London by the Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment in the 2000s. On January 21, 1954 the first nuclear-powered submarine, , was launched from Groton. "Nautilus" became the first vessel to transit the North Pole during a historic trip across the Arctic in 1958. "Nautilus" spent most of her career assigned to Submarine Squadron 10 located at State Pier in New London. It was retired from service in 1980. In 1982 "Nautilus" was designated a National Historic Landmark in Groton. It is permanently moored south of the main gate, attached to the U.S. Submarine Force Museum. Self-guided tours are available to the public
Skate-class submarine Skate-class submarine The "Skate"-class submarines were the United States Navy's first production run of nuclear-powered submarines. They were an evolution of the in everything except their propulsion plants, which were based on the operational prototype . The four "Skate" class boats re-introduced stern torpedo tubes. Although among the smallest nuclear-powered attack submarines ever built, the "Skate" class served for many years, with the last being decommissioned in 1989. USS "Skate" was the first submarine to surface at the North Pole, on 17 March 1959. "Skate" and "Sargo" were built with the S3W reactor, "Swordfish" and "Seadragon" also had the S3W