It was not NASA but one investor who developed a pen that can be used in outer space

ByLuke Bryant

In the United States "NASA who discovered that ballpoint pens can not be used in space, developed a ballpoint pen that can be used in the universe by spending $ 12 billion (about 1 trillion yen), while Russia used a pencil," says NASA sarcastically There is a famous jokes like Taka. This joke was later corrected by NASA, but it was impossible to actually use a ballpoint pen in outer space, so it was true that NASA had trouble to solve this problem. Actually, NASA struggled hard, and even in Russia it was impossibleWriting tool problem of the universeIt was an investor who solved the problem.

Fact or Fiction ?: NASA Spent Millions to Develop a Pen that Would Write in Space, whereas the Soviet Cosmonauts Used a Pencil: Scientific American
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fact-or-fiction-nasa-spen

NASA scientists face the problem of "Can not use pen in outer space" during the space development competition between America and Russia which broke out in the 1960s. NASA somehow wanted astronauts to have writing tools asked the company called Tycam Engineering Manufacturing in Houston to develop a specialized mechanical pencil.

ByMangpages

As a result, the mechanical pencil which can be used in outer space was completed, but it was about 130 dollars per one, and it was quite expensive as the Japanese yen was about 46,800 yen when converted at the rate of the time, criticism continued one after another. Also, since core fragments etc. hurt the astronauts and equipment and because they are flammable, it has been discovered that pencils and mechanical pencils are not suitable for use in outer space, NASA is inexpensive and safe It is necessary to develop writing instruments.

At about the same time, Paul C. Fisher, who operated Fisher Pen Company, invested 1 million dollars (about 360 million yen at that rate) and is developing a ballpoint pen that can also be used in outer space did. Surprisingly, Mr. Fisher's investment money did not include any assistance from NASA.

ByRob.

In 1965, we succeeded in developing a ballpoint pen that can be used in a zero gravity environment or underwater with pressure inked ink cartridges and can withstand temperature changes from -45 degrees to +200 degrees.

Although ordinary ballpoint pens are using gravity to push out ink, Fisher's adopt a structure that pushes ink into the pen tip by using pressure-controlled nitrogen instead of gravity. Also, unlike regular inks, we use a special thing to maintain a gel like shape with less fluidity until the ball on the pen tip rotates.

ByCharlie V. Antonio

In the same year, Mr. Fisher said "AG-7"I will go to market the ballpoint pen named NASA, but sometimes it was a sharp pen that became a huge expenditure, and a careful attitude was taken for recruitment. However, as a result of rigorous testing, in 1967 NASA decided to adopt AG-7 and ordered 400 AG-7s for use in the Apollo project. A year later, the former Soviet UnionSoyuz spacecraftWe purchased 100 AG-7 and 1000 ink cartridges for use in the mission. The price per "AG - 7" was about 2 dollars and 40 cents (then 860 yen at that time).

ByLuke Bryant

Mr. Fisher then patented the product and monopolized the market. AG - 7 has been renamed to "Space Pen", but it continues to be used by NASA etc even now. In addition, Space Pen can be purchased in US Amazon and was $ 44. 51 cents (about 4400 yen) when writing the article.

Amazon.com: Fisher Space Original Astronaut Space Pen: Office Products