[Az-Geocaching] Another Lie about Nasa..
Brian Casteel
listserv@azgeocaching.com
Sat, 11 Sep 2004 16:04:02 -0600
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You could use it to log the underwater cache (I think it's Minus 30) by =
Team Evil Fish. :)
Brian
Team A.I.
----- Original Message -----=20
From: HumNummaHumma=20
To: listserv@azgeocaching.com=20
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2004 3:49 PM
Subject: Re: [Az-Geocaching] Another Lie about Nasa..
Yeah, I actually bought one of those space pens a few years back. =
They're really cool when you need to write on vertical surfaces or =
upside down. I never got to experiment with its claim that it could =
write underwater as well. Not sure when I would need that feature?
Eventually, the pressure in the pen started gushing the ink out, so I =
would have a general mess every time I used it. Fischer was nice enough =
to send me a free replacement, but the same thing happened with that pen =
after six months. I have since lost it and haven't replaced it.
Pretty cool pen, though.
-Brent
ShadowAce <hunting@shakabruddah.com> wrote:
TEF writes:
I was told this story as a kid by my neighbor who was for the most =
part
correct with his stories
When NASA was given the task of what the astronauts would write with =
in
space, spent millions of dollars to come up with the ball point pen. =
While
in Russia given the same question replied was ah we'll use a pencil.
---------------------------------------
Now we get to see why it is so funny to sit and listen to some =
people.
---------------------------------------
http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp
Fisher did ultimately develop a pressurized pen for use by NASA =
astronauts
(now known as the famous "Fisher Space Pen"), but both American and =
Soviet
space missions initially used pencils, NASA did not seek out Fisher =
and ask
them to develop a "space pen," Fisher did not charge NASA for the =
cost of
developing the pen, and the Fisher pen was eventually used by both =
American
and Soviet astronauts.
Here's how Fisher themselves described it:
NASA never asked Paul C. Fisher to produce a pen. When the =
astronauts began
to fly, like the Russians, they used pencils, but the leads =
sometimes broke
and became a hazard by floating in the [capsule's] atmosphere where =
there
was no gravity. They could float into an eye or nose or cause a =
short in an
electrical device. In addition, both the lead and the wood of the =
pencil
could burn rapidly in the pure oxygen atmosphere. Paul Fisher =
realized the
astronauts needed a safer and more dependable writing instrument, so =
in July
1965 he developed the pressurized ball pen, with its ink enclosed in =
a
sealed, pressurized ink cartridge. Fisher sent the first samples to =
Dr.
Robert Gilruth, Director of the Houston Space Center. The pens were =
all
metal except for the ink, which had a flash point abo! ve 200=B0C. =
The sample
Space Pens were thoroughly tested by NASA. They passed all the tests =
and
have been used ever since on all manned space flights, American and =
Russian.
All research and developement costs were paid by Paul Fisher. No =
development
costs have ever been charged to the government.
Because of the fire in Apollo 1, in which three Astronauts died, =
NASA
required a writing instrument that would not burn in a 100% oxygen
atmosphere. It also had to work in the extreme conditions of outer =
space:
In a vacuum.
With no gravity.
In hot temperatures of +150=B0C in sunlight and also in the cold =
shadows of
space where the temperatures drop to -120=B0C
(NASA tested the pressurized Space Pens at -50=B0C, but because of =
the
residential [sic] heat in the pen it also writes for many minutes in =
the
cold shadows.)
Fisher spent over one million dollars in trying to perfect the ball =
point
pen before he made his first successful pressurized! pens in 1965. =
Samples
were immediately sent to Dr. Robert Gilruth, Manager of the Houston =
Space
Center, where they were thoroughly tested and approved for use in =
Space in
September 1965. In December 1967 he sold 400 Fisher Space Pens to =
NASA for
$2.95 each.
Lead pencils were used on all Mercury and Gemini space flights and =
all
Russian space flights prior to 1968. Fisher Space Pens are more =
dependable
than lead pencils and cannot create the hazard of a broken piece of =
lead
floating through the gravity-less atmosphere.
Sightings: This legend was mentioned in an episode of NBC's The West =
Wing
TV series ("We Killed Yamamoto"; original air date 15 May 2002).
____________________________________________________________
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>You could use it to log the underwater =
cache (I=20
think it's Minus 30) by Team Evil Fish. :)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Brian</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Team A.I.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dhumnummahumma@yahoo.com=20
href=3D"mailto:humnummahumma@yahoo.com">HumNummaHumma</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dlistserv@azgeocaching.com=20
=
href=3D"mailto:listserv@azgeocaching.com">listserv@azgeocaching.com</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, September 11, =
2004 3:49=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Az-Geocaching] =
Another Lie=20
about Nasa..</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Yeah, I actually bought one of those space pens a few years back. =
They're=20
really cool when you need to write on vertical surfaces or upside =
down. I=20
never got to experiment with its claim that it could write underwater =
as well.=20
Not sure when I would need that feature?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Eventually, the pressure in the pen started gushing the ink out, =
so I=20
would have a general mess every time I used it. Fischer was nice =
enough to=20
send me a free replacement, but the same thing happened with that =
pen=20
after six months. I have since lost it and haven't replaced it.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Pretty cool pen, though.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>-Brent</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR><BR><B><I>ShadowAce <hunting@shakabruddah.com></I></B>=20
wrote:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=3Dreplbq=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px =
solid">TEF=20
writes:<BR>I was told this story as a kid by my neighbor who was for =
the=20
most part<BR>correct with his stories<BR><BR>When NASA was given the =
task of=20
what the astronauts would write with in<BR>space, spent millions of =
dollars=20
to come up with the ball point pen. While<BR>in Russia given the =
same=20
question replied was ah we'll use a=20
pencil.<BR><BR>---------------------------------------<BR><BR>Now we =
get to=20
see why it is so funny to sit and listen to some=20
=
people.<BR>---------------------------------------<BR><BR>http://www.snop=
es.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp<BR><BR><BR>Fisher=20
did ultimately develop a pressurized pen for use by NASA =
astronauts<BR>(now=20
known as the famous "Fisher Space Pen"), but both American and=20
Soviet<BR>space missions initially used pencils, NASA did not seek =
out=20
Fisher and ask<BR>them to develop a "space pen," Fisher did not =
charge NASA=20
for the cost of<BR>developing the pen, and the Fisher pen was =
eventually=20
used by both American<BR>and Soviet astronauts.<BR><BR>Here's how =
Fisher=20
themselves described it:<BR><BR>NASA never asked Paul C. Fisher to =
produce a=20
pen. When the astronauts began<BR>to fly, like the Russians, they =
used=20
pencils, but the leads sometimes broke<BR>and became a hazard by =
floating in=20
the [capsule's] atmosphere where there<BR>was no gravity. They could =
float=20
into an eye or nose or cause a short in an<BR>electrical device. In=20
addition, both the lead and the wood of the pencil<BR>could burn =
rapidly in=20
the pure oxygen atmosphere. Paul Fisher realized the<BR>astronauts =
needed a=20
safer and more dependable writing instrument, so in July<BR>1965 he=20
developed the pressurized ball pen, with its ink enclosed in =
a<BR>sealed,=20
pressurized ink cartridge. Fisher sent the first samples to =
Dr.<BR>Robert=20
Gilruth, Director of the Houston Space Center. The pens were =
all<BR>metal=20
except for the ink, which had a flash point abo! ve 200=B0C. The=20
sample<BR>Space Pens were thoroughly tested by NASA. They passed all =
the=20
tests and<BR>have been used ever since on all manned space flights, =
American=20
and Russian.<BR>All research and developement costs were paid by =
Paul=20
Fisher. No development<BR>costs have ever been charged to the=20
government.<BR><BR>Because of the fire in Apollo 1, in which three=20
Astronauts died, NASA<BR>required a writing instrument that would =
not burn=20
in a 100% oxygen<BR>atmosphere. It also had to work in the extreme=20
conditions of outer space:<BR>In a vacuum.<BR>With no gravity.<BR>In =
hot=20
temperatures of +150=B0C in sunlight and also in the cold shadows =
of<BR>space=20
where the temperatures drop to -120=B0C<BR>(NASA tested the =
pressurized Space=20
Pens at -50=B0C, but because of the<BR>residential [sic] heat in the =
pen it=20
also writes for many minutes in the<BR>cold shadows.)<BR><BR>Fisher =
spent=20
over one million dollars in trying to perfect the ball point<BR>pen =
before=20
he made his first successful pressurized! pens in 1965. =
Samples<BR>were=20
immediately sent to Dr. Robert Gilruth, Manager of the Houston=20
Space<BR>Center, where they were thoroughly tested and approved for =
use in=20
Space in<BR>September 1965. In December 1967 he sold 400 Fisher =
Space Pens=20
to NASA for<BR>$2.95 each.<BR><BR>Lead pencils were used on all =
Mercury and=20
Gemini space flights and all<BR>Russian space flights prior to 1968. =
Fisher=20
Space Pens are more dependable<BR>than lead pencils and cannot =
create the=20
hazard of a broken piece of lead<BR>floating through the =
gravity-less=20
atmosphere.<BR>Sightings: This legend was mentioned in an episode of =
NBC's=20
The West Wing<BR>TV series ("We Killed Yamamoto"; original air date =
15 May=20
=
2002).<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>___________________________________________=
_________________<BR>Az-Geocaching=20
mailing list listserv@azgeocaching.com<BR>To edit your setting, =
subscribe or=20
unsubscribe=20
=
visit:<BR>http://listserv.azgeocaching.com/mailman/listinfo/az-geocaching=
<BR><BR>Arizona's=20
Geocaching Resource<BR>http://www.azgeocaching.com<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
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