The Fisher Pen Company developed space pens in 1965 for NASA, with a retail price of $2.95 USD each. They contain a hermetically sealed ink cartridge filled with a special formula and can write in zero-gravity, extreme temperatures, and on any surface. Space pens are now popular among the general public and can last for over a hundred years.
Space pens were originally developed in 1965 by Paul Fisher of the Fisher Pen Company. Contrary to popular belief, Fisher did not receive a multi-million dollar contract from the government for his revolutionary pens. The actual retail price of the 400 original pens sold to NASA was $2.95 USD a piece. Though originally intended for the US space program only, space pens later became popular with Soviet cosmonauts. They continue to be used in all manned space missions since 1967.
Both astronauts and cosmonauts originally used pencils for written communication in space. Ordinary ink pens wouldn’t work in the zero-gravity environment of space, plus standard ink formula would evaporate in extreme heat or cold. But the use of lead pencils has also become a concern for space program managers. The lead point could break and cause damage to the crew or sensitive electronics. The wood could flare up in a big fire in the pure oxygen environment. NASA needed a writing instrument that could withstand extreme temperatures, write on any surface, maintain zero-gravity ink flow, and resist breaking.
This is where Fisher’s space pens have served their purpose. These pens contain a hermetically sealed ink cartridge filled with a special ink formula. Nitrous gas is also pumped into this cartridge to force the ink to flow without gravity. The ball point is a small ball of titanium, guaranteed not to detach from the rest of the pen. Space pens can write underwater and on greasy surfaces. The ink inside the pens can withstand temperatures from minus 150 degrees Fahrenheit to over 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Today, space pens have become even more popular among the general public. ‘Space Pen’ is actually a trademark of the Fisher Space Pen Company, although other pen manufacturers have developed models with similar characteristics. High-end space pens are often constructed of exotic woods or metals and are prized by executives as gifts. Because the ink supply is permanently protected from the elements, it can last for over a hundred years.
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