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One of the great myths in writing technology is that when humans went into outer space, one of the biggest challenges was to find a way to write in conditions of zero gravity. The myth continues that NASA threw all its considerable weight into research in this regard and spent millions of dollars to develop a special space pen, while the Russians found a simple solution -- they just used pencils.
Well, this is totally incorrect. Both US and Russian astronauts (or cosmonauts, as the Russians called them) used pencils to write in outer space, although NASA was criticised severely for purchasing special mechanical pencils that cost almost USD 125 per unit in 1965. The competing superpowers apart, a lot of money was spent on research for a pen that could write in outer space. But not by NASA or the Russians. The Fisher Pen Co. spent over a million dollars and came up with the famous Fisher Space Pen. It could be used effectively in space - it came with a pressurised ink cartridge, and could work in a zero gravity environment, underwater, in other liquids, and in temperature extremes ranging from -50 F to +400 F. NASA tested it extensively and then started using it for its flights after 1967. Even the Russians were so impressed by the Fisher Space Pen that they ordered a consignment for their cosmonauts.
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