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The space pen was made completely privately, with completely private investment, by a pen company that saw on opportunity. They privately built a pen that would
by mrguyorama 2y ago
The space pen was made completely privately, with completely private investment, by a pen company that saw on opportunity. They privately built a pen that would work in space, gave it to NASA for clout, and then sold to the public. They spent a few millions on it, not billions.
The Soviets bought a hundred of them a few years after. Because "Just use a pencil stupid" is incredibly stupid in fact. Lose graphite particles or scraps are a terrible thing to have in your space craft in zero gravity. They cost about $30 each in today's dollars.
- preisschild 2y agoDidn't the soviets use at least grease pencils? No graphite in them, just non-conductive wax.
- jimnotgym 2y agoOr a biro? Don't they work by capillary action rather than gravity?
- extraduder_ire 2y agoYes. The only advantage of the "space pen" is that it works upside down. Ballpoint pens work fine in microgravity, but not directly inverted.