Paul C Fisher spent over US$2 million dollars of his own money in 1965 (almost US$20 million in 2023 money) to achieve his objective of a writing instrument that would perform in the weightlessness of space. He first patented the AG7 "anti-gravity" pen in 1965, and pitched it to NASA soon thereafter. They selected it for use on the Apollo Missions, ordered 400, paid US$2,400 … and the rest is history.
To this day the Fisher Space Pen is used on all manned space flights: American, Russian and Chinese; and the Fisher family has built a small but global business on the back of that single engineering innovation.
But, how does it work?
Traditional ballpoint pens, which rely on gravity to deliver ink to the writing surface, are unsuitable for use in zero-gravity conditions. Instead of the ink dropping via gravity, the special viscous Fisher Space Pen ink is fed by pressurised nitrogen. Apart from its ability to work in space (probably not a key feature for most of us) this, along with its better tungsten carbide ball, makes it one of the smoothest writing and most reliable ballpoints around.
Also (and this is key) it writes: on all surfaces, in the freezing cold (-35ºC), in extreme heat (+120ºC), at any angle, upside down, and even under water. Notes left on front doors and crossword puzzles in bed are a breeze.
There’s a yarn that does the rounds to the effect that the US spent all of that money developing a result that the Russians achieved with a pencil. However, pencils are not actually suitable for us in space, as the graphite breaks off and floats around in the spacecraft, potentially interfering with the electrical systems and causing damage or harm to the astronauts.
The Fisher Space Pen actually is a better mousetrap.
The Fisher family still run the business from a small factory in Nevada, and they are clearly very proud of their company heritage and the contribution that its pens have made to the culture. This from their website:
“What is powerful enough to be at the intersection of NASA, the New York Museum of Modern Art, and Seinfeld? Something small enough to fit in your pocket yet big enough to generate thousands of customer fan letters over several decades. A product that works in virtually any condition and is still made by a family-owned company right here in the United States. Yes, our chrome Bullet Space Pen (#400) is in the permanent collection at New York’s Museum of Modern Art as a symbol of elegant, American industrial design. And yes, it was the Space Pen featured in the Seinfeld episode entitled “The Pen.” Yet, despite our success, history and a little fame, we refuse to rest on our laurels. We continue to work hard, innovate and stay focused on our customers. It is the only way we know how to do business.”
Story Idea: Remo Giuffré
As it happens we sell this pen. You can order it HERE.
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References
wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Pen
spacepen.com/
history.nasa.gov/spacepen.html
Video: “Machines: How They Work,” The Science Channel, courtesy of Windfall Films
Video: This Built America - Fisher Space Pen Co.
Images
1 & 2. Fisher Space Pen AG7
3. Drawings to accompany patent application, 15 November 1966
4. Paul C. Fisher at right. Image credit: spacepen.com
5. Paul C. Fisher & The Real Fisher Space Pen Story
6 & 7. Image credits: spacepen.com
8. “Machines: How They Work,” The Science Channel, courtesy of Windfall Films
9. This Built America - Fisher Space Pen Co.
10. Founder Remo is an AG7 wearer/user since 1988. See [87] of General Thinker book. Image: The Australian (The Deal magazine) March 2014.
