TIL NASA Did Not Spend Millions on the Space Pen Development to Replace Pencils
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For a long time I had remembered the (now known to be) Urban Legend that while NASA (the US space agency) had spent millions of dollars to develop a pen that would work in space (in particular zero gravity) the Russians simply used a pencil. Today I found out that this wasn't really the case, in that a private company name Fisher Pen Co. had paid for the Space Pen development, with NASA (and later the Russian Space Program) buying the finished products.
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NASA Didn't Pay the Space Pen Development Costs, A Private Company Did
While this very possibly could have been the case, NASA had previously dealt with public relations problems over the cost of mechanical pencils:
Originally, NASA astronauts, like the Soviet cosmonauts, used pencils, according to NASA historians. In fact, NASA ordered 34 mechanical pencils from Houston's Tycam Engineering Manufacturing, Inc., in 1965. They paid $4,382.50 or $128.89 per pencil. When these prices became public, there was an outcry and NASA scrambled to find something cheaper for the astronauts to use.
-Source
Why Using Pencils Wasn't a Good Idea
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Both the US and Russian space programs had used pencils for a period of time. A big motivation to find a pen to replace these were due to concerns of:
- Pencils, made of wood, could burn, which is always a concern in space travel as experienced by the fire on Apollo 1.
- The graphite material in pencils left fine 'dust' particles, tips could break and debris from being sharpened (if not mechanical) could all get into their systems and cause problems.
How Did the Space Pen Work without Gravity
The Fisher Space Pen had a few main features that differed from a normal pen we would use. A special tungsten carbide tip was designed to ensure a perfect seal to prevent the ink from being able to escape (outside of when writing.) The ink itself was rather unique using thixotropic ink in a hermetically sealed chamber. The final piece of the puzzle was achieving 35 PSI of pressure in the ink chamber with nitrogen to provide a means of pushing the ink out as well as preventing the ink to evaporate or oxidize.
The End Result
In 1968 NASA ordered 400 of the Fisher Anti-gravity pens followed by the Russian order in 1969 for 100. Both space programs received 40 percent discount so they only had to pay $2.39 per pen instead of $3.98. For the US this was a huge cost saver compared to the $128.89 per pencil that had caused the public relations problems years before.
Text Sources:
Fact of Fiction: NASA Space Pen
Space Pen
The Truth Behind the Million Dollar Space Pen Hoax
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Image Sources:
Fisher Pen
Space Pen
Apollo 1 Fire
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I had read about it just yesterday. And today I come to know that it was a lie?? Wow. Teaches you not to trust anything on the internet, doesn't it?
That's synchronicity for you!
I'd had the idea of NASA spending all that money in my mind for years, packed in one of those 'finding simpler solutions' sort of areas. Definitely a nice one to find I was wrong about, both on who paid the development costs and the direct benefits of the pen vs the pencil.
It is much harder now a days to truly dig down sources (or lack there of) to find what is firmly rooted versus a 'sounds good' scenario. I do appreciate finding out when I'm wrong though! lol
Exactly. In the age of information, finding the 'correct' information is kinda hard
Nice debunking, I've come to the realization 99% of word of mouth spread bullshit is just that, bullshit. Nice read
Thank you! And that's so true. I'd never really dug into this one before, but it's a great instance of being nice to have found I was wrong in my thinking. The never ending search to find what I don't know, lol.
I'm a nerd and that was fun facts for me. So where can i buy one of those with bitcoin and I see it works in space but does it work on earth?? Its crazy though all the little details they have to think about up there.
TY! I found this one pretty interesting too! I didn't even include all the factors they had to account for, such as extreme hot and cold temperatures in this post, just to keep it an easy read.
These can actually be purchased with Bitcoin through Bitcoinmall.net! Next you'll just need that actual low orbit space flight or simulated zero gravity flight to test it! Lol
Might just keep one around display in and when people ask just play it off K-Pax style like "o that's just for writing stuff when I'm in space"
Rofl! That deserves to be a meme!
I heard the myth to and just believed it:)
I was in the same boat. I'd never really thought of digging into it before this and found it a fascinating read.
Making me think of trying to follow this up with some other debunking type posts, might be fun. :)
Yes definitely:)
I did not know any of that. I was a nerd as a young kind and I think I asked for one of these for Christmas one year when I was like maybe 9 or so, and I was born in 71.
The more you know LOL. UV for you! Good post!
TY! Glad you liked it!
You can actually buy the Fisher Space Pens through Amazon or if you prefer to purchase with Bitcoin it's at bitcoinmall.net. :) Nice little 'show off' piece and conversation starter to have. Lol
I remember it was heavy as all get out lol. I had it forever. I think when I first got into real estate in 1991 I even used it to write up a few deals. I am saving all my money for must haves these days..... I need some Steem and keep converting it to Steem Power like we discussed.
I want such a pen! For grading my copies! :)
You might even try Edison's Electric Pen invention, grade all the copies at once! It works a lot like a modern tattoo gun. Lol
http://electricpen.org/
I now feel like a devil ^^
Rofl! Planning for next halloween already? :P
Edward Scissorhands's family ^^
Haha! That'll be awesome!
Def will beat the 'devil' costume. (I was making a bad joke in prior response)
Great post!
Useful knowledge that is very rare to find.
Thank you!
Why do I picture a Garden of Eden space station in the future!?!? Lol
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Ty! This is a good myth to dispel and better understand :)