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US Tax Dollars Hard At Work!
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)
Posted by: Darky!
When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ballpoint pens would not work in zero gravity.
To combat the problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 Billion to develop a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to 300C.
The Russians used a pencil.
Posted by: Outlaw
Heh, money well spent 
Posted by: Canis Lupus
 Quote:
Originally posted by Darky!
The Russians used a pencil.
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Well, there's a reason why they conquered space before anyone else did 
Posted by: Chako
I had heard about that. Best pen on the planet and off though! 
Posted by: redwench
yes, very funny. im sure we also used a pencil while the pen was being developed. but having a pen that can write under any scientific condition is worth quite a bit, in the long run.
Posted by: Gerbilo
I bought one for $3 when I was a Kennedy space center in FL.... I was like 10 and lost it somewhere lol.
Posted by: Forty-Three
Anything can be practical in the long run, but the difference is if we had waited until now we probably wouldn't have had to spend so much on R&D (12 Billion  ).
Posted by: redwench
ok, that makes no sense. if you put off research until later, it still has to be done. and usually at higher cost. in addition, you dont have the benefits of having done the research in the meantime.
in this case, aside from people just wanting one, researchers now can write not only in space, but in antarctica, underwater, and in monsoons. doesnt sound exciting, but makes life much easier for them. dont have all that data loss you would otherwise. i dont doubt the 12b was better spent than a lot of government programs.
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