The Space Pen has captured the American imagination through its appearances in pop culture, including a "Seinfeld" episode. In 2021, it was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame.
The myth surrounding its development and use in contrast to pencils in space raises questions about the truth. Let's explore the facts about the Space Pen, pencils in space, and how NASA astronauts write on the space station.
Russian cosmonauts Georgi Dobrovolski (1928 - 1971), Vladislav Volkov (1935 - 1971) and Viktor Patsayev (1933 - 1971) of the Soyuz 11 space mission, June 1971. All three men died during their return to Earth, following a successful docking with the Salyut 1 space station.
Can Astronauts Use Pencils in Space?
When astronauts ventured into space in the 1960s, they discovered that conventional ballpoint pens designed for Earth's gravity were ineffective in the weightless environment. As per Science Alert's report, writing with a regular ballpoint pen on a vertical surface in space was a challenge due to the absence of gravity.
However, using pencils in space also poses certain risks that needed to be avoided. Pencil debris, such as broken leads or flammable wood shavings, floating freely in a spacecraft could be hazardous.
Additionally, the graphite particles released from pencils while writing were a concern, as they could potentially damage delicate machinery or cause fire hazards. NASA took fire safety precautions seriously after a tragic fire on the Apollo 1 mission resulted in the loss of all three crew members in 1967.
Even the ballpoint pens available at the time had their drawbacks. The early versions of these pens were prone to leakage, which posed further complications in the confined environment of a space capsule. Ink droplets floating around inside the spacecraft were undesirable.
During the Apollo missions, astronauts did use felt-tip pens manufactured by the Duro Pen Company. In a notable instance, a felt-tip pen played a crucial role in saving the Apollo 11 mission when Buzz Aldrin used it to stabilize a broken switch. While Fisher Space Pens claims that it was one of their pens, Aldrin specifies that it was a felt-tip pen.
READ ALSO: Space Debris the Size of an Eraser at the End of a Pencil Travelling at 15,000MPH Created an Enormous Crater
Birth of the Space Penn During the 20th Century Space Race
The Fisher Space Pen gained recognition when Apollo 7 mission commander Walter Schirra showcased its capabilities during a live television transmission in 1968. As per NASA, the pens have made appearances in various TV shows and are featured in space museums and the Museum of Modern Art in New York since then.
In 2021, the Space Pen was inducted into the Space Foundation's Hall of Fame, alongside other technologies developed for space that now benefit life on Earth.
Contrary to a common myth, the development of the Space Pen did not cost taxpayers millions of dollars. Paul Fisher, the founder of Fisher Pen Company, had been working on a pressurized pen to address the shortcomings of early ballpoint pens that leaked, skipped, and dried up.
When NASA expressed interest in a pen suitable for space use, Fisher saw the potential in his pressurized ink cartridge and worked to eliminate leaks. With NASA's support, he successfully created the AG7, or anti-gravity pen, by adding resin to the ink, allowing it to liquefy upon contact with the ballpoint.
Extensive testing by NASA confirmed the pen's reliability in various conditions, leading to its transformation from a prototype to a proven high-performance product.
Astronauts have been using the Space Pen on every crewed NASA mission since Apollo 7, and the pens are currently in use on the International Space Station. However, the utility of the Space Pen extends beyond space exploration.
With a product line consisting of about 80 models, the pens are sought after by members of the military, law enforcement, outdoor enthusiasts, plane manufacturers, and oil workers who value their ability to write in any condition.
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