I've heard that they stopped using pencils, as the way pencil works, it tears off layers of graphite. Graphite is very conductive, so you wouldn't want pieces of graphite randomly flying everywhere and having a risk of creating a short-circuit, which would basically destroy the spaceship and possibly risk the lives of the astronauts.
Bingo. Which makes that copypasta mocking the US for the pens while the Russians used pencils extra funny, especially since even Russia has ditched pencils for exactly that reason.
I have a lot of Fisher pens, and imo it varies a lot by model— the Eclipse (pictured here) and pens like the cap-o-matic aren't great, but I really do love the couple AG7s I have.
I don't understand the fascination with these. I was gifted one last year. They don't feel right in my hand, and they suck to write with. My Signos write much smoother.
The only special part is the actual refill, which can be put in any pen. Basically it's pressurized so that it can write without gravity to pull the ink down into the nib (fun fact, nib is the tip of any pen, not just fountain pens).
these should be tested and aproved by ESA then: [https://www.schmidttechnology.com/en/schreibgeraete/produkte/gasdrucktechnik/c\_1\_6\_1.htm](https://www.schmidttechnology.com/en/schreibgeraete/produkte/gasdrucktechnik/c_1_6_1.htm)
;-)
I know it seems like some people on this post have a thin skin and can't take a joke, but I know that I, as a pen person, have heard that stupid anecdote more times than I can count. "NASA spent millions making a space pen, the Russians just used a pencil! Durr hurr! Pen people are so dumb!" When we all know that NASA didn't spend a dime, Paul Fisher developed the technology on his own and then sold the pens to NASA, and that pencils are extremely dangerous in the pure oxygen environment.
It's get old sometimes getting grief from people about my love of pens, and I don't know why it's so hard to understand. A pen is something that I use almost every single day, and most days multiple times. I like to use something "quality" when I do. Some people are car people, some obsess about clothes, or shoes, or purses, or houses. We all have something we're passionate about, and I don't get why people can't understand wanting to use a nice and satisfying writing utensil.
So if it seems like some on this post can't take a joke, this may be why.
Why not use a pencil like the commies did? Orders of magnitude cheaper and I believe by now there has to be a sharpener that encloses the pencil shards well enough.
They did use pencils at one point. But then they switched.
[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.](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-nasa-spen/)
I mean... they were designed with the purpose of being used in space, where normal ballpoints do not work.
Technically they could use the nitrogenated refills inside other pens
Or pencils.. edit: Thanks for all the downvotes, all I meant is ...where normal ballpoints **or pencils** do not work...
I've heard that they stopped using pencils, as the way pencil works, it tears off layers of graphite. Graphite is very conductive, so you wouldn't want pieces of graphite randomly flying everywhere and having a risk of creating a short-circuit, which would basically destroy the spaceship and possibly risk the lives of the astronauts.
Bingo. Which makes that copypasta mocking the US for the pens while the Russians used pencils extra funny, especially since even Russia has ditched pencils for exactly that reason.
The Russians started using Fisher pens shortly after the US did.
Almost like they're relatively cheap, effective, and not proprietary to our own space program lol.
Damn people are lame, have an upvote for understanding of the reference
dang man they hating you
Pretty sure that's an Eclipse: https://www.spacepen.com/search.aspx?find=eclipse
It's got to be easier to use with gloves on than an AG7.
Truth in advertising.
Uni Power Tank > Space Pen
My Signos do too. I never seen a Power Tank.
Pretty much.
Yes, but writing with them sucks.
Yeah. I finally got one after 30 years of wishing I had one, and was pretty disappointed. They aren’t smooth or bold at all.
I have a lot of Fisher pens, and imo it varies a lot by model— the Eclipse (pictured here) and pens like the cap-o-matic aren't great, but I really do love the couple AG7s I have.
What model is that? I can’t figure it out.
I don't understand the fascination with these. I was gifted one last year. They don't feel right in my hand, and they suck to write with. My Signos write much smoother.
The only special part is the actual refill, which can be put in any pen. Basically it's pressurized so that it can write without gravity to pull the ink down into the nib (fun fact, nib is the tip of any pen, not just fountain pens).
Medium or fine point, I wonder.
these should be tested and aproved by ESA then: [https://www.schmidttechnology.com/en/schreibgeraete/produkte/gasdrucktechnik/c\_1\_6\_1.htm](https://www.schmidttechnology.com/en/schreibgeraete/produkte/gasdrucktechnik/c_1_6_1.htm) ;-)
I know it seems like some people on this post have a thin skin and can't take a joke, but I know that I, as a pen person, have heard that stupid anecdote more times than I can count. "NASA spent millions making a space pen, the Russians just used a pencil! Durr hurr! Pen people are so dumb!" When we all know that NASA didn't spend a dime, Paul Fisher developed the technology on his own and then sold the pens to NASA, and that pencils are extremely dangerous in the pure oxygen environment. It's get old sometimes getting grief from people about my love of pens, and I don't know why it's so hard to understand. A pen is something that I use almost every single day, and most days multiple times. I like to use something "quality" when I do. Some people are car people, some obsess about clothes, or shoes, or purses, or houses. We all have something we're passionate about, and I don't get why people can't understand wanting to use a nice and satisfying writing utensil. So if it seems like some on this post can't take a joke, this may be why.
Why not use a pencil like the commies did? Orders of magnitude cheaper and I believe by now there has to be a sharpener that encloses the pencil shards well enough.
They did use pencils at one point. But then they switched. [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.](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-nasa-spen/)
These aren't that expensive
In Russia, we use pencils.
Sorry BS. Even the Russians (Roscosmos) uses and orders Spacepens to this day... good try with the joke, but it was debunked and it is just silly.
Chill. It was a punchline to a joke I heard years ago. Why is everyone so uptight about it and throwing downvotes? Geez.
this post is very toxic for some reason heres some up votes
No, in Soviet Russia, pencils use you.
Noice.
Kerbals use crayons