The Space Pen. The very name would make Galileo’s heart skip a beat. Legend has it that NASA scientists spent millions of taxpayer dollars in designing a writing instrument for use in space. Yet, contrary to popular belief, the invention of zero gravity promotional pens had nothing to do with NASA. So, what makes these printed pens so unique?

In the midst of the Cold War, U.S. president John F. Kennedy announced a dramatic goal to land a man on the moon before the decade was out. The “Space Race” was on. Every detail of such an unprecedented mission had to be perfect, and this included the astronauts’ ability to take notes. Pencils, both mechanical and wooden, had been used in the Mercury and Gemini missions, but printed pencils created a few problems. For one, the lead in mechanical pencils could easily break, which posed a danger in the zero gravity of space. The flammable nature of wooden promotional pencils also presented risks. NASA needed a better solution.

Meanwhile, a man named Paul Fisher had been working on a special ink cartridge that would enable ink to flow only when the user wanted. All other promotional pens rely on gravity to generate ink flow, so traditional ballpoints are inoperative in space. Fisher’s experimentation led to the use of thixotropic ink, a semisolid ink that only became liquefied due to the rolling ball’s shearing action. He then pressurised the ink refill with nitrogen so that the promotional pen would work without relying on gravity. Fisher presented his anti-gravity pen to NASA and, beginning with the Apollo 7 mission, astronauts have used Fisher’s invention ever since.

Like the original, today’s promotional space pen is made of the highest quality materials. The rolling ball is crafted from tungsten carbide and is precisely fixed to avoid leakage. The space pen reportedly writes three times longer than the average promotional ballpoint and can function upside down, underwater, and in extreme temperatures (from -35 to 120 Celsius). These features make the space pen the logical choice for both astronauts in space and climbers on an Everest expedition.

Zero gravity promotional pens aren’t just suited for the extremes; they’re a great choice for the everyday situations in which we find ourselves. Choose a printed space pen for the plumber or electrician who must often work on their backs in cramped areas. Or give a space pen as a personalised gift to the engineer or would-be inventor in your life. With such a unique and versatile instrument, the possibilities for use are truly limitless.