Writing in space

The use of writing instruments in space is carried out under the conditions of weightlessness and, where appropriate, of the vacuum.

Conventional writing instruments

Were used in the history of space different types of pencils, tracer pencils and ink pens. Some of these were unmodified versions of commercial writing instruments, others are specifically designed for spaceflight.

The wooden pencil was initially used by both Soviet cosmonauts and American astronauts. For the pencil saying its simplicity and the immobility of its components. However, both wood and graphite contained in the pencil lead and the rubber from erasers are flammable and they all produce dust that float in weightlessness through the room, be inhaled and cause a fire. Graphite is also a conductor of electricity, and can cause short circuits.

Mechanical pencils were used by NASA since the Gemini program in the 1960s. Its width is the width of the astronauts gloves to be adjusted. Penkalas with the combustible timber was saved, but still graphite dust has been released. The Soviet cosmonaut put plastic jacketed grease pencils as an early substitute for wood pencils. These pins have the advantage, so to be simple and rigid hardly prone to defects. A disadvantage is the rapid fading of Scripture against the ink.

Pens were used by both Soviet and later Russian space missions as well as by NASA and ESA. The pins were cheap, their writing is more sustained than that of fat pencils and pens, which makes them suitable for logbooks and scientific notes. However, ballpoint pen ink is not erasable and in conventional pens, the ink must flow downwards so that the pen writes.

Markers have been used by NASA astronauts in the Apollo missions. By capillary action, they pass the writing fluid under gravity into the tip.

Special developments

The Space Pen is a standing under gas pressure pen that is very robust and works under a variety of environmental conditions, including microgravity, vacuum and extreme temperatures. It was used by NASA astronauts on Apollo, Shuttle and ISS missions.

Trivia

The modern word heard the story, NASA would have the Space Pen for a large sum of money can be specifically developed for their space missions to have a pen that writes in microgravity, while the Soviet cosmonauts were generally used pencils. In fact, the development of the pen did not happen in order and without financial support from NASA. In Germany this rumor was fueled among other things by the false reporting of ARD to the lunar landing as one of the moderators told the story in the studio. After 2006, a commercial newspaper Handelsblatt the Sage gave new distribution.