The use of nuclear energy in the Enterprise was unprecedented in 1960. According to the U.S. Navy website, multiple nuclear reactors had never been harnessed together, yet the Enterprise made use of eight reactors -- two on each propeller shaft of the ship.
The Enterprise was built using 60,923 tons of steel, 1,507 tons of aluminum, 230 miles of pipes and tubing and 1,700 tons of welding rods, according to the U.S. Navy.
The Enterprise is 1,101-feet, 2-inches long and is 133 feet tall to the beam. The flight deck is 252 feet wide. The total weight of the ship is 89,600 tons, according to the Federation of American Scientists website.
The USS Enterprise reached speeds in excess of 40 mph in its initial trials, according to the U.S. Navy website.
The USS Enterprise is staffed by 3,350 sailors and 2,480 airmen.
The ship is armed with medium range Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles as well as a rapid-fire 20-mm gun system.
The initial cost of the Enterprise was $451 million. According to the Federation of American Scientists, it costs approximately $220 million a year to operate it.