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This is the Conversation Forum for Space Pens << SpacePen fails a test Elusive Space Pens >> Subject: Urban Legend Posted Apr 25, 2003 by NAITA (Join ViTAL - A1014625)   Posting 1 Nice entry. Since you didn't mention the Urban Legend, I will do so here. The Fisher Space Pen is the subject of one of the myriad urban legends out there ridiculing government spending. As the story goes, NASA spent 1.5 million dollars developing a pen that could write in space. The Russians used ordinary pencils. In the real world, both nations used ordinary pencils in space. NASA bought a bunch of space pen, at the ordinary price, since pencil shavings are not good to have floating around in a space craft. The 1.5 million dollars was spent by Fisher developing the pen. But you all read http://www.snopes.com and knew that, right? Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Urban Legend Posted Apr 25, 2003 by dasilva This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 2 Like many of the inventions NASA didn't have a hand in, you mean? (Teflon, Velcro, Sony Walkman [TBC]...) Subject: Urban Legend Posted Apr 26, 2003 by Farlander This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 3 drat - you beat me to it, naita! but anyway, great little article! Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Urban Legend Posted May 7, 2003 by Fashion Cat This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 4 Actually I read somewhere that the pen was semi-commissioned, as a lead broke in space and nearly blinded an astronaut. Hence the necessity for a pen that would work above ground. Conversation list Conversation list

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