Cool pics of urban exploring, abandoned machines and stuff
Discussion
JonRB said:
2ono said:
Wasn't there a story about the Americans spending a small fortune developing a pen that worked in space/zero gravity, the Russians just used a pencil.
Yes, there is that story. And it's completely bogus. Both the Russians and the Americans started out with pencils, and they found that flakes of graphite from the pencils would float off and find their way into all sorts of places and cause short-circuits in electronics. The Americans then embarked on finding a better solution and came up with the pen.
The Space Pen was developed independently by industrialist and pen manufacturer Paul Fisher. NASA didn't ask him to develop it or pay him to develop it.
Fisher offered the Pen to NASA, who tested it and agreed to buy 400 for use in space. Years later the Russians bought some for their space programme too.
JonRB said:
Yes, there is that story. And it's completely bogus.
Both the Russians and the Americans started out with pencils, and they found that flakes of graphite from the pencils would float off and find their way into all sorts of places and cause short-circuits in electronics. The Americans then embarked on finding a better solution and came up with the pen.
I stand corrected, thank you, but I still think the urban myth sounds betterBoth the Russians and the Americans started out with pencils, and they found that flakes of graphite from the pencils would float off and find their way into all sorts of places and cause short-circuits in electronics. The Americans then embarked on finding a better solution and came up with the pen.
Melman Giraffe said:
jogon said:
I had one of these when i was at school 25 years ago, I was the envy of the class DeuxCentCinq said:
Melman Giraffe said:
I had one actually from Cape Canaveral. Pretty sure James Barker stole it from my bag along with my copy of G-Loc for the Game Gear.ralphrj said:
If by 'the Americans' you meant NASA then it wasn't them that came up with the Space Pen.
The Space Pen was developed independently by industrialist and pen manufacturer Paul Fisher. NASA didn't ask him to develop it or pay him to develop it.
Fisher offered the Pen to NASA, who tested it and agreed to buy 400 for use in space. Years later the Russians bought some for their space programme too.
Yes, valid correction; I was a little ambiguous in my post. I knew that the Fisher Space Pen was independently developed by Fisher and sold to NASA. The Space Pen was developed independently by industrialist and pen manufacturer Paul Fisher. NASA didn't ask him to develop it or pay him to develop it.
Fisher offered the Pen to NASA, who tested it and agreed to buy 400 for use in space. Years later the Russians bought some for their space programme too.
ceebmoj said:
Condi said:
JonRB said:
Condi said:
Dr G said:
Anyone know the Russian for 'copycat' ?
Yes and no. There are some big differences between the 2. Mainly that the Buran is fully automated and computer controlled, whereas the Shuttle never was. Also different type of fuel used (solid/liquid) which gave it more maneuvering time in space. http://www.buran.su/buranvssts-comparison.php
Melman Giraffe said:
I had one of these when i was at school 25 years ago, I was the envy of the class
Me too bought one in a gold brass colour on a trip to Florida aged 9 I think but lost it years ago then spotted them on Amazon about six months ago so went for Black Titanium Nitride Lacquer Finish this time. Photo gallery of "Chernobyl 30 years on: Photographs from inside the exclusion zone" published by the online Daily Telegraph today.
Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff