The Fisher Space Pen: it writes in Zero gravity, upside down, underwater, through oil. US Astronauts used one on the Apollo-Soyuz mission. Despite the packaging, I don’t think any ever traveled to the moon. They were made after that had already ended. Maybe they should be called Orbital Pens.
They are cool.
My little sister gave me a bullet space pen several years ago. I use it almost every day. I can’t believe that I haven’t lost it! (The pen, silly.) It’s a short little thing till you take the cap off and slide it over the back end. Then it’s full-sized. It fits in smaller pockets. It’s very convenient.
That story about Soviet Cosmonauts using pencils, but the US having to invent a new type of pen, I think that’s apocryphal. Fisher doesn’t seem to have that much “in” with the government. But it’s a nice story.
They’ve also got normal length pens, with clickety buttons on the top, and Cap-O-Matics (the tip retracts as you turn the cap). They even have some pens that are made out of bullet casings. But they’re not bullet pens! Most of these things cost about $20. Which seems sort of expensive for a pen, but…
I had to email the Fisher folks yesterday. My favorite munchkin greets me every day by taking the bullet space pen out of my vest pocket. Then he takes the cap off. Then he puts the cap back on. Then he takes the cap off…. You get the idea. Over the course of several months, he wore out the little rubber o-ring that seals the cap in place. The cap is loose now, and sometimes falls off when I try to take the pen out of my pocket. The pen falls back into my pocket, my hand holding only the empty cap. Then I have to dig. Very frustrating.
The Fisher folk emailed back really quickly that they’d send me a free o-ring. And if that didn’t fix it, then I’d need to send the pen back. They would fix it, or replace it.
So for twenty bucks, it’s a permanent pen. As long as you don’t lose it. Which I haven’t yet.
I’m happy with the pen. I’m happy with the company. Their website is a little busy, but that’s OK by me.
Makes a great birthday gift, too! Perfect for you astronaut-wanna-be brother, or any other fisher of pens.
