Author Topic: The Space Pen Hoax revisited  (Read 2254 times)

Offline pagheca

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The Space Pen Hoax revisited
« on: 05/16/2014 08:05 pm »
I recently investigated about the well known hoax about the millions (sometime billions) $$$ supposedly spent by NASA to acquire a pen to be used in space. Notoriously, this is just an hoax with a tiny grain of truth. The problem is how tiny is that grain of truth...

Some sources - probably copied one from the other with some embellishments - report that

Quote
The early Apollo mission was embroiled in scandal when the public found out that astronauts were using pencils priced at $128.89. People were outraged to find that NASA ordered over four thousand dollars worth of pencils, and an inquiry was opened into the matter. At the inquiry the NASA representative, probably the guy who'd drawn the short straw that day, wearily explained that the pencils were made of special fibers, but were a bargain $1.75 each. The extra money came from the fact that they had to be modified so that they could be attached to the inside of the space ship and be used by someone wearing a space suit."
See here.

Other sources (here for example) report a slightly different story, i.e. that

Quote
NASA did start to develop a space pen, but the costs soon spiralled and when the agency came up against public opposition the astronauts reverted back to using pencils.
.

What I would like to understand is:

(1) how much was ACTUALLY spent by the Apollo Project to develop/acquire this pen? Did they actually tried to develop it (and spent accordingly) or they just budgeted the development but never spent a buck before buying the pens (400 apparently, but the unit cost seem ranging from $1.85 to $2.95 per unit) from Fisher?

2) is NASA still buying and using the same pens today? Is it the same used by the Russians? (maybe subject to ITAR? :) ).

3) what about the Chinese and other space agencies? Still greased pencils like the early-day URSS and US?

Any first-hand information here from former Apollo scientists?
« Last Edit: 05/16/2014 08:08 pm by pagheca »

Offline SWGlassPit

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Re: The Space Pen Hoax revisited
« Reply #1 on: 05/16/2014 08:33 pm »
The space pen was developed on Fisher's own dime.

Offline pagheca

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Re: The Space Pen Hoax revisited
« Reply #2 on: 05/16/2014 08:35 pm »
The space pen was developed on Fisher's own dime.

I know that. Or, at least, this is what every webpage talking about this is saying.

But my questions are different: I'm asking about what happened BEFORE Fisher offered his pens to NASA: did NASA spent or not any dime while trying developing them?

Offline collectSPACE

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Re: The Space Pen Hoax revisited
« Reply #3 on: 05/16/2014 09:06 pm »
Prior to Apollo 7, NASA used off-the-shelf grease pencils, mechanical pencils, and fiber-tipped pens (markers).

The space agency may have spent a small amount of money testing and adapting (mostly adding velcro) to these commercial writing instruments, but did not bother with developing one of their own.

Fisher approached NASA in 1967 and its pressurized pen became the standard going forward (together with Duro brand markers and Garland mechanical pencils).

There's a rather good write-up of the history of writing instruments on U.S. spaceflights here.

Offline Blackstar

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Re: The Space Pen Hoax revisited
« Reply #4 on: 05/16/2014 10:27 pm »
I recently investigated about the well known hoax about the millions (sometime billions) $$$ supposedly spent by NASA to acquire a pen to be used in space.

It was actually trillions...

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/613/1


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