Final answer:
The first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), commissioned in 1961.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). It was a groundbreaking vessel that not only propelled naval capabilities into a new era with its nuclear power plant but also set the stage for a series of nuclear-powered carriers that followed, including the USS Nimitz and others in its class. Commissioned on November 25, 1961, the USS Enterprise served for several decades before its decommissioning, highlighting the longevity and endurance that nuclear-powered ships could achieve.