The legend of the space pen

There is a myth that says that during the space race, the Americans faced the dilemma of creating a pen capable of writing in a vacuum. So NASA invested 1.5 million dollars to develop the space pen. The Russians faced the same dilemma, and solved it by using graphite pencils.

This is the original text that circulated by email back around 1999:

During the space race back in the 1960's, NASA was faced with a major problem. The astronaut needed a pen that would write in the vacuum of space. NASA went to work. At a cost of $1.5 million they developed the “Astronaut Pen”. Some of you may remember. It enjoyed minor success on the commercial market.

The Russians were faced with the same dilemma
They used a pencil.

This is an urban myth, because the crews of the early missions also used graphite pencils. In any case the product really was developed, you can find it at Fisher Space Pen Co., so for your next trip to space you can buy one :)

But it is a good story for showing the obsession with finding sophisticated solutions to simple problems.

Sometimes you have to look at problems in perspective, and not get dazzled by technology for technology’s sake.

Or by one particular way of solving problems.