Fisher Space Pen Silver Pen

The Fisher Space Pen BP Backpacker is a compact pen designed for extreme conditions, built to perform where ordinary pens fail. Each pen is precision-assembled and hand-tested.

It comes with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. The body is made of aluminum, brass, and steel, and the tip is made of tungsten carbide.

Features of the Fisher Space Pen Backpacker Silver

• It operates at temperatures ranging from -34°C to +120°C
• It works underwater, in zero gravity, and at any angle
• The ink is thixotropic—it is solid in its normal state but liquefies only when writing
• It lasts up to three times longer than regular ink
• The cartridge contains a pressurized nitrogen cartridge that pushes the hermetically sealed ink
• Compact size—fits easily in a wallet or organizer

Technical Specifications

The Story Behind the Space Pen

During NASA’s early missions, astronauts wrote with pencils. For the Gemini project, the agency purchased 34 mechanical pencils for a total of $4,382.50—about $128.89 each. This sparked widespread public outrage, and NASA sought an alternative.

Paul S. Fisher of Fisher Pen Co. developed a pen with a pressurized cartridge that works in zero gravity, underwater, and at extreme temperatures. The company invested about $1 million of its own funds, without funding from NASA.

In 1967, after rigorous testing, NASA approved the pens for the Apollo program missions. Approximately 400 pens were purchased at a price of $6 each. In February 1969, the Soviet Union also purchased 100 pens and 1,000 refills for the Soyuz spaceflights. To this day, both American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts continue to use these pens.

Frequently Asked Questions