21 Apr
2005
21 Apr
'05
7:05 p.m.
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org
[mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Kapteyn, Rob
Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2005 6:08 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: RE: tube technology and EMP
"One of the first big problems of manned space
flight was that
ball-point pens
would not work reliably in zero gravity.
NASA started a huge research project and after more than a year
the 'space pen'
was developed.
This was a ball point pen that could write upside down and in
zero gravity.
(BTW: These pens were sold to the public and widely advertised
when I was a kid)
The russian cosmonauts, on the other hand, simply used a pencil :-)
Except pencils are a really bad idea in space. They tend to release
particles that can be breathed in or clog the air circulation/filtration
systems, etc.
Kurt Weber
kmw at armory.com