Pen Pencil facts

While investigating facts about Pen Pencil, I found out little known, but curios details like:

The reason why NASA (and later the Russians) use a specialised space pen instead of pencil in space is because the graphite of pencils is conductive and can cause short circuits and even fires. The pens have been used since the Apollo era and are still being used right now on the ISS.

The story that NASA spent $1 million on a space pen while the soviets simply used a pencil is false. The pen was developed by a private company without any taxpayer dollars and NASA simply became a client afterwards.

In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across. Here are 14 of the best facts about Pen Pencil I managed to collect.

1. NASA did not invest any money for a space pen, but did invest $4,382.50 ($31,949 today) in space pencils.

2. Pencil is etymologically related to penis, but not pen

3. Joseph Stalin did not use a pen to write notes, but instead, had an "array of colored pencils - red, green and blue"

4. All conventional pens and pencils work in space. Ball point pens don't work well upside down on Earth because of gravity. In space, the ink will not fall back away from the nib because surface tension will keep the ink together and flowing.

5. Ben Franklin wrote, in "A Petition of the Left Hand": "to those who have the Superintendency of Education: If by chance I touched a pencil, a pen, or a needle I was bitterly rebuked; and more than once I have been beaten for being awkward and wanting a graceful manner.” [signed]: THE LEFT HAND

6. NASA never spent $1 Million to develop the space pen. The Fisher Pen company spent $1 million of its own money to make a zero-G pen, which NASA brought for about $6 per pen. The Soviets also switched to pens as they were safer than pencils.

7. How to Make Pen Stand | Origami Pen Holder | Paper Pencil Holder

8. The story of NASA spending thousands of dollars or R&D on making pens for space travel while russians used pencils is largely a myth. they spend more money on space pencil research but switched to pens made by a third party as graphite and wood fragments posed more risk in space.

9. NASA May Have Spent Millions Developing A Space Pen When the Russians Just Used A Pencil.

What is true about pen pencil?

You can easily fact check it by examining the linked well-known sources.

When tested, Scantrons read Black Sharpies, black fountain pens and no. 4 pencils without problems

Pen and Pencil are not etymologically related - source