ZERO GRAVITY <<-- Funny Read...

ZERO GRAVITY
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

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...

Hoax, but funny still.

Deep

Thanx for the info intelgurl!! As always, most informative!!

I *bought* a "Space Pen" way back in 1969, as there was a "promotion" going on (I seem to remember) to coincide with the Apollo landings. A great pen - I*never* had the opportunity to try it in zero gravity - but it was fine for writing notes whilst holding a book above your head whilst in bed (don't ask....)!!

Thanks intelgurl with the real story.

I remember having one if these pens too. Cost more than other pens (a bit anyway). Funny, never used it in zero-g because that part cost millions of dollars. But the pen was cool.

Also posted here:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Copy/Paste from the same chain-email I'd guess too.