[pct-l] Word Processor

[Tortoise]

That's an amusing story however it is mostly false.

The Fisher Space Pen was developed entirely Fisher at its own expense. 
Fisher eventually sold them to NASA for a measly $2.95 each.

Both the Russians and NASA originally used lead pencils but the pencils 
were too hazardous. Little pieces of lead would break off and could lodge 
in astronauts' eyes or get into electrical equipment and short it. After 
the Apollo 1 fire, NASA also wanted a writing instrument that would not 
burn in the 100% oxygen atmosphere. Both the wood and the lead of a pencil 
would burn.

see: http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp

Tortoise

<> Because truth matters! <>

On 12/26/10 10:18, CHUCK CHELIN wrote:
> Good morning, Boot,
>
> I’m reminded of the early days of the manned space program when NASA spent a
> ruinous amount of time and treasure developing a ball point pen that would
> reliability function under all zero-G conditions.  The Russians, seeing
> that, gave their cosmonauts a pencil.
>