• Question: Can you write with a pen in space

    Asked by liz to Andrea, Charlie 🚀, Col Op, Kirsty, Vinita on 15 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Kirsty Lindsay

      Kirsty Lindsay answered on 15 Jun 2016:

      Yep- a normal ballpoint pen will work because the fiction of the ball will draw the ink through the nib. Upside-down pens only don’t work on Earth because gravity pulls the ink backwards away from the nib.

    • Photo: Andrea Boyd

      Andrea Boyd answered on 15 Jun 2016:

      Yes – the pencil/pen thing is a myth. They have textas and pens in space. Pencils aren’t used because if the led breaks then it could float into equipment and damage it or worse conduct electricity and hurt someone. Mostly textas are used because they don’t leak and they write the best. Pens work totally fine though.

Comments