NASA had a problem.

Fortunately, inventor and entrepreneur Paul C. Fisher had a solution – a solution that continues to work half a century after it was first introduced.

The late Paul C. Fisher, inventor of the Fisher Space Pen.

Fisher’s ingenious invention was the AG7 Original Astronaut Space Pen – a sealed, pressurized, gravity-defying, element-defeating writing instrument that empowered astronauts to write with ink in space for the first time. Before the AG7, astronauts could only use pencils because ballpoint pens didn’t work beyond the atmosphere.

The AG7 made its first trip to space nearly 50 years ago, ascending to the stars on the Apollo 7 Mission on Oct. 11, 1968. In honor of the historic voyage, Fisher Space Pen Co. (asi/54423), a Nevada-based supplier that sells its space-grade pens in the promotional products industry, has released a limited edition AG7 Original Astronaut Space Pen and Coin Set.

The AG7 Original Astronaut Commemorative Space Pen.

Commemorative coin, front and back.

According to the company, the pen’s barrel is made of brass with gold titanium nitride plating. An engraved design features a constellation and the Apollo 7 capsule. Accompanying the set is a coin displaying the Apollo 7 capsule on one side and the Fisher Space Pen “50” logo on the other. There’s also a plaque engraved with a quote from retired astronaut Walter Cunningham, the lunar module pilot on the Apollo 7 Mission. It reads: “50 years ago, I flew with the first flown Space Pen on Apollo 7. I relied on it then, and it’s still the only pen I rely on here on Earth.” 

Retired Astronaut Walter Cunningham used the AG7 on its first mission into space.

So do many others. As Counselor detailed in a 2017 feature, Fisher’s line of Space Pens are popular with consumers and strong sellers in the promotional products industry. Like the original, they can write deftly at zero gravity, underwater, over grease, at any angle, upside down, and in harsh temperatures ranging from -30 degrees Fahrenheit to more than 250 degrees Fahrenheit. NASA used the Fisher Space Pen continuously during the space shuttle missions, and continues to deploy the pens on manned space flights today. 

Beyond its practical applications, the Space Pen is also a cultural icon. Part of the permanent design collection in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Space Pen is displayed at the Smithsonian and Space Center, too. It’s inspired or featured in television shows that range from Seinfeld to Mad Men to Gilmore Girls.

“We are extremely proud to be celebrating fifty years in space,” said Cary Fisher, president of Fisher Space Pen Co. “My father Paul Fisher was a visionary who personified American entrepreneurship and innovation. Our products are sold all over the world, but we are still a family business manufacturing high-quality, state-of-the-art writing instruments, proudly Made in the USA.”

For the full story on the Fisher Space Pen, head here.