Figures, Russians, page 1

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Topic started on 23-1-2004 @ 06:01 PM by nwscc

When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity.
To combat this problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion developing a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing
to over 300 C.

The Russians used a pencil.

Enjoy paying your taxes--they're due again

reply posted on 23-1-2004 @ 06:02 PM by smirkley

Typical US development projects to resolve serious issues,....or just to divert funds to covert projects.

Pencils??...who'd of guessed !

reply posted on 23-1-2004 @ 06:09 PM by junglejake

That's funny! Russian is going to love this!

reply posted on 23-1-2004 @ 07:38 PM by intelgurl

As funny as this is... it is not true.

Any quick search of the web will turn this up on a number of hoax web sites. (sorry to spoil the fun)

The government did not fund the development of the pen, it did not cost $12 billion to perfect, and neither the Americans nor the Russians consider it desirable to use pencils in space. In fact, both Americans and Russians use the space pen for their flights.

The famous space pen, which is still a popular product today, was developed by Paul Fisher the founder of the Fisher pen company. An engineer who improved ball point technology, he created his "bullet pen" in the 1940's, which became one of the best-selling pens of the Twentieth Century. Later, he perfected a pen that was sealed with pressure inside of the cartridge that made the ink to flow regardless of gravity. It also worked in high and low temperature extremes, underwater, and wrote on many kinds of surfaces.

According to the Fisher Pen company, after extensive testing, NASA chose the pen in 1967 for use by Apollo astronauts and it's been a part of space travel ever since. The company says it took Fisher about 2 years and $2 million to develop the space pen.

Prior to 1967, there were no pens that worked in space so there were pencils used, but there were concerns about pencil dust floating around the space capsules as well as fears that if the tip of a pencil broke off and drifted into the electronics, there would be problems.

www.truthorfiction.com...

hoaxinfo.com...

[Edited on 23-1-2004 by intelgurl]

reply posted on 23-1-2004 @ 07:59 PM by BlackgraceGazia

Awwww... that spoils all the fun!

reply posted on 23-1-2004 @ 08:03 PM by smirkley

Nice digging IntelGurl.

I thought I remembered a similar story describing the events posted,... But it's nice to be corrected, .. with facts.

reply posted on 23-1-2004 @ 08:17 PM by BlackgraceGazia

Lol yes, I don't feel like an idiot anymore. *would have been totaly embarassed by NASA* Hehehehehehe! That would have been pathetic if it was true!

reply posted on 23-1-2004 @ 09:10 PM by deevee

but the Seinfeld episode about the space pen was true wasn't it?

reply posted on 23-1-2004 @ 10:13 PM by mikromarius

Originally posted by nwscc
When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity.
To combat this problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion developing a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing
to over 300 C.

The Russians used a pencil.

Enjoy paying your taxes--they're due again