The History of The Fisher AG7 Space Pen
The Only Pen Built for Outer Space
Although U.S. astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts initially used pencils on all of their manned space flights, (Lead pencils were used on all Mercury and Gemini missions and all Russian space flights prior to 1968) it was quickly determined that those writing implements were less than ideal for working in weightless conditions.
The tips of the pencils would break easily, and bits of lead would end up floating around the interior of the space capsules — posing a risk to both the crew and their equipment.
June 1966: The Apollo 1 crew practices water evacuation procedures with a full scale model of the spacecraft at Ellington AFB, near the then-Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston. In the rafts at right are astronauts Ed White and Roger Chaffee, foreground. In a raft near the spacecraft is astronaut Virgil Grissom.
Following the fatal Apollo 1 fire in 1967 in which 3 astronauts lost their lives, NASA worked to remove as many flammable objects as possible from their space craft (including pencils, which would burn rapidly in the pure oxygen atmosphere) to increase the safety of missions moving forward.
But there was no solution that was readily available — regular ballpoint pens wouldn’t work in zero gravity conditions, and they couldn’t withstand the extreme temperatures of space.
They needed a pen that could work:
In a vacuum.
With zero gravity.
In hot temperatures of +150°C in sunlight and also in the cold shadows of space where the temperatures drop to -120°C.
Paul C. Fisher of the Fisher Pen Company spent more than one million dollars of his own money attempting to solve this problem until he finally created the AG7 or “Anti-Gravity” Space Pen.
In September 1965, Fisher sent samples to Dr. Robert Gilruth, the Manager of the Houston Space Center, and the pens were thoroughly assessed to ensure they were capable of meeting the exacting standards required by NASA.
After 2 years of meticulous testing, the Fisher AG7 Chrome Plated Astronaut Space Pen was finally proven to be tough enough to endure the rigors of space.
Astronaut Walter Cunningham, Apollo 7 lunar module pilot, writes with Fisher AG7 Space Pen as he is photographed performing flight tasks on the ninth day of the Apollo 7 mission.
The first time the Fisher AG7 was put into action was the Apollo 7 space mission in 1968 (this was the first crewed flight in NASA's Apollo program) and it performed so well, that The Fisher AG7 Space Pen has been used on all subsequent manned space flights — both American and Russian, ever since.
The design and construction of the Fisher AG7 Space Pen (now commonly referred to as simply The Astronaut Pen) has remained completely unchanged for more than 50 years. The pen you buy today is exactly the same as the one taken to the moon in 1969.
The Fisher AG7 is heavy in the hand, and the weight is perfectly balanced and evenly distributed as you write. The AG7 Fisher Space Pen is made entirely from solid brass with an extremely tough chrome plating on its exterior — all made in the USA.
It has a substantial and secure two-button clicking mechanism. Just press down on the top to extend the refill, and press the side button to retract the refill.
This special design assures you that you'll always retract the point before you slide it in your pocket (so you don’t get ink all over your nice white space suit).
The Apollo 7 Crew
Today, the Fisher AG7 Space Pen is one of the most instantly recognizable pens of all time.
In addition to its countless space flights, it also made a notable appearance in the twentieth episode of Seinfeld, “The Pen” where Jerry is given his father’s friend Jack Klompus’s Fisher AG7 Astronaut pen, and is forced by his mother to return it to him.
So whether you’re buckling into a rocket bound for space, or just jotting down a grocery list, the Fisher AG7 Space Pen ensures you’ll never have to radio Houston with any pen-related problems.