🤣 Funny!

dwalby said:
So it took a NASA study to determine that pencil lead is prone to breakage??? And, exactly what safely risk did that pose??
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What year were you born? You did learn of the Apollo 1 fire at some point. I'm sure.

From Scientific American, December 20, 2006

Originally, NASA astronauts, like the Soviet cosmonauts, used pencils, according to NASA historians. In fact, NASA ordered 34 mechanical pencils from Houston's Tycam Engineering Manufacturing, Inc., in 1965. They paid $4,382.50 or $128.89 per pencil. When these prices became public, there was an outcry and NASA scrambled to find something cheaper for the astronauts to use.​
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Pencils may not have been the best choice anyway. The tips flaked and broke off, drifting in microgravity where they could potentially harm an astronaut or equipment. And pencils are flammable--a quality NASA wanted to avoid in onboard objects after the Apollo 1 fire.​
 
STRider said:
What year were you born? You did learn of the Apollo 1 fire at some point. I'm sure.

From Scientific American, December 20, 2006

Originally, NASA astronauts, like the Soviet cosmonauts, used pencils, according to NASA historians. In fact, NASA ordered 34 mechanical pencils from Houston's Tycam Engineering Manufacturing, Inc., in 1965. They paid $4,382.50 or $128.89 per pencil. When these prices became public, there was an outcry and NASA scrambled to find something cheaper for the astronauts to use.​
​
Pencils may not have been the best choice anyway. The tips flaked and broke off, drifting in microgravity where they could potentially harm an astronaut or equipment. And pencils are flammable--a quality NASA wanted to avoid in onboard objects after the Apollo 1 fire.​
Click to expand...
its generally considered that the 100% oxygen atmosphere inside the capsule is what contributed to the Apollo 1 fire, not pencil lead.

a quick google search says pencil graphite is generally non-combustible unless subjected to extreme temperatures in excess of 1000C. As an old-time drafting student, the term "mechanical pencil" generally meant a plastic pencil frame with a replaceable graphite core, so I'm assuming they were not concerned with the wooden part of the pencil being combustible. If they were plain old wood pencils, typically available for about 5 cents each at any American school, the fact that NASA paid $128.89 per pencil seems a bit odd.



But, al
 
dwalby said:
a quick google search says pencil graphite is generally non-combustible unless subjected to extreme temperatures in excess of 1000C.
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But any small particle floating loose in micro gravity bears the risk of getting inhaled, ending in someones eye, floating uncontrollable on/into instruments/technical appliances...
 
A certain country was ruled by a dictator who was very paranoid. He rarely appeared in the public; he preferred to send one of his many doubles.

One day, enemy attacks the palace. The survival of the dictator is in question. The doubles await news, trembling in fear. If the dictator dies, they would be no longer useful, and with all the secrets they know, the new regime surely wouldn’t let them live.

Finally, they are called in a conference room. One of the dictator’s chief advisors enters.

“My dear doubles!” he says. “I have good news and bad news. The good news is that our beloved leader has survived the dastardly attack, and so, your services are still very much required.”

The doubles collectively sigh with relief.

Then a big man with an axe enters the room.

“Now for the bad news,” continues the advisor. “He lost an arm…”
 
ST1100Y said:
But any small particle floating loose in micro gravity bears the risk of getting inhaled, ending in someones eye, floating uncontrollable on/into instruments/technical appliances...
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good point, I hadn't considered the potential hazard to the eyes. That's what happens when you're used to having gravity around all the time I guess.
 
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