Ball Point Pens
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Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Here in No. Calif
Ball Point Pens
Ball Point Pens
When NASA started sending astronauts into space, they quickly discovered that ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat this problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 million developing a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside-down, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 300° C.
The Russians used a pencil.
Your taxes are due in April -- enjoy paying them.
When NASA started sending astronauts into space, they quickly discovered that ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat this problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 million developing a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside-down, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 300° C.
The Russians used a pencil.
Your taxes are due in April -- enjoy paying them.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,476
Likes: 224
From: Frequently frozen MN
Not that the "guvmint" is against wasting money, but they apparently didn't this time. Several references stated that NASA bought Fisher pens -- developed privately -- for about $6 ea. Apparently the Russkis eventually did the same.
Pencils are the obvious thought, but they break, need to be sharpened, and produce 'litter'.
hj
Pencils are the obvious thought, but they break, need to be sharpened, and produce 'litter'.
hj
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 19,098
Likes: 8
From: Great State of Texas
Not that the "guvmint" is against wasting money, but they apparently didn't this time. Several references stated that NASA bought Fisher pens -- developed privately -- for about $6 ea. Apparently the Russkis eventually did the same.
Pencils are the obvious thought, but they break, need to be sharpened, and produce 'litter'.
hj
Pencils are the obvious thought, but they break, need to be sharpened, and produce 'litter'.
hj
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Believe it or not pencil lead isn't really lead, but a mixture of carbon and clay and other stuff. In a pinch, an old Elmer showed me how to make a resistor for an old radio by cutting a pencil down to the right length.
Point (heh) being, the engineers may have decided that tiny chunks of conductive material floating around in a pure oxygen, weightless environment and could settle in switches or somewhere else it shouldn't.
Sent from my iPhone using IB AutoGroup
Point (heh) being, the engineers may have decided that tiny chunks of conductive material floating around in a pure oxygen, weightless environment and could settle in switches or somewhere else it shouldn't.
Sent from my iPhone using IB AutoGroup
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,830
Likes: 96
From: Manteca,Ca
The way I see it most of the lead was used from Girls in school, when you asked them out and they didn't want to go , they just stabbed you with a pencil, and that told me I didn't want anything to do with that girl ( ever). Good laugh Hank
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