I'm sorry. I cannot let this stand or you'll start believing it. It's an internet myth I'm committing to quash at every opportunity.
The popular "Fisher Space Pen origin myth" claims NASA spent millions developing a zero-gravity pen, while Soviets used pencils. In reality, Paul C. Fisher developed the AG7 Space Pen using his own funds ($1 million+) to solve leakage issues, later selling them to NASA for $6 each. Fisher patented the pressurized, thixotropic-ink pen in 1966.
Wikipedia +3
- The Myth: NASA spent millions (often cited as $1 million to $12 billion) to develop a pen that works in space.
- The Reality: Paul C. Fisher invented the pen privately (1965–1966) and patented the technology. He marketed it to NASA after it was already developed.
- NASA's Role: NASA did not fund the development. NASA did, however, rigorously test the pen and approved it for the Apollo 7 mission in 1968 after finding that pencils created safety risks (broken graphite tips).
- The Costs: NASA purchased 400 pens at a cost of approximately $6 each in 1967 (and similar amounts for later missions), which was a much more cost-effective solution than developing one.
- Soviet Use: Contrary to the myth that only the US used the pen, Soviet cosmonauts also bought Fisher Space Pens for their Soyuz missions in 1969, abandoning wax pencils.
- The Inventor's Role: Paul Fisher did not initially set out to create a "space" pen, but rather a "universal" pen that wouldn't leak or dry up, with the design allegedly inspired by a dream.
The Space Review +5
Next you'll start saying Al Gore claimed to have invented the internet... (as I sit here with my small collection (3) of awesome Fisher Space Pens)