NASA spent billion Dollar for a Space Pen.

It was a rumor at late 1960s that "NASA is spending billions of Dollar only for a Space Pen". Yes it is true, because Astronaut were facing a problem to write in zero gravity in space. They had a problem with the pen which they brought with them. It was not working in zero-gravity. To overcome this problem NASA spent billions of dollar to make a ball point pen that would work in zero-gravity in space. Earlier the Russians use the pencil to solve this problem. But, this was not a good idea because pencil could break and need to be sharpen again and again which would create debris inside the space craft environment which is not an ideal situation to work.

                Paul Fischer, who later open the Fischer Space Pen Company stepped forward to solve this problem. He created the pen and pressurized it with 40psi (approx.) of Nitrogen gas and send some sample to NASA. They were impressed. Later Paul Fischer was asked to make more changes on it .So, that it would work in Vacuum , At --1200C and +1500C. These changes made pen to work in cold (shadow) and hot (direct sun light) in space.

 

• Finally A pen was ready to be use in zero gravity.
• The Fischer Space Pen being used by an Astronaut.

Fischer pen being used by an Astronaut.

• The inside mechanism of Fischer Space Pen.

SEE A VIDEO How Fischer Space Pen is made.

NASA's TechBrief Magazine.