Discover the fascinating story behind the Fisher Space Pen—the pen that writes upside down, underwater, and even in zero gravity. Eric Bond, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, shares the innovation that made it possible, its legacy in every NASA mission since 1968, and how this iconic tool continues to inspire the future of space exploration.
Susan Wise: Welcome to Stars Launch Pod, brought to you by starsciences.org, where we connect, collaborate, and accelerate. My name is Susan Wise, I’m your host, and joining me is Eric Bond, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Fisher Space Pen.
Oh, we’ve all heard of a Fisher Space Pen.
Eric Bond: Yep, yep. Glad to be here. I’m excited to chat with you, tell a little bit about our story, and launch the pod, so to speak.
Susan Wise: Exactly. I’d like to hear more about what you do, about the space pen, and what you’re currently working on to help further the space industry.
Eric Bond: Absolutely. I’m sure a lot of people watching this podcast know about Fisher Space Pen. Just to give a quick history: we’ve been around since 1948. We were a pen company before we were the space pen company. In 1968, we invented the sealed and pressurized ink cartridge, which allows pens to write anywhere—even without gravity.
We’ve been on every manned space mission since then. We’ve been a big part of aerospace and related environments for as long as we can remember. The next steps? Space is becoming more and more relevant in everyday life. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to expand and become a multi-planetary species at some point, and hopefully Fisher Space Pen can be a part of that.
Susan Wise: You know, I heard recently that Artemis II is officially scheduled for February 2026.
Eric Bond: Yep.
Susan Wise: That’s exciting.
Eric Bond: It is exciting. And there will be Fisher Space Pens on board as well. We were on the first one, we’ve been on all of them, and we’ll be on that one too.
Susan Wise: Looking back over your story, do you have maybe an “aha” moment you’d like to share—when you just thought, yes, that was it?
Eric Bond: I think the company’s “aha” moment was when we invented the sealed and pressurized ink cartridge. We’d been around for 20 years before space was even an option, and that invention was our pedestal moment.
As we’ve expanded and as space has become more relevant, we’ve had many smaller “aha” moments along the way. For me personally, one big one comes from the space race. People always say, “Well, the Russians just took pencils. Why did we spend money to make pens?”
It’s a nice metaphor for keeping things simple, but the reality is pencils aren’t the best option in space. Graphite splinters off, it’s flammable, and pencil shavings can float into astronauts’ eyes. So yes, pencils work in space, but they’re hazardous.
My “aha” moment was realizing that before iPads and computers, when pencils weren’t safe, our pen was the breakthrough tool that allowed astronauts to reliably record space history. That’s the legacy of our brand.
Susan Wise: When I think about the space pen, I think about one specific model. But don’t you have a whole range of pens that use this zero-gravity technology?
Eric Bond: Yes. Uniquely enough, every single one of our pens has zero-gravity capability. That’s another “aha” moment for people—they think only one pen writes in space, but actually all of them can.
It’s not the pen’s exterior that makes it special, it’s the sealed and pressurized ink cartridge inside. The model still used in space is the AG-7, which has a bolt-action release. But every pen we make has that same cartridge, meaning they all can write in space, underwater, upside down—anywhere.
Susan Wise: Do they float?
Eric Bond: The full metal ones probably not… unless they’re in space.
Susan Wise: Do they come in black ink, blue ink—both?
Eric Bond: We have options. Fine, medium, bold tips, and seven colors: blue, black, red, green, purple, maroon, and one more I’m forgetting right now.
Susan Wise: When you say “bold,” does it feel like writing with a gel pen?
Eric Bond: Not quite. Our cartridge uses thixotropic viscoelastic ink. It’s a ballpoint pen, so when you apply pressure, the ink is pushed out and immediately hardens. That’s why it can write underwater and why it’s great for left-handed writers—no smearing.
Our standard point is closer to a bold look compared to normal ballpoints. The bold tip is very bold, while the fine tip is popular with people used to gels—it gives a smooth, sharp line.
Susan Wise: I’m sure you’ve had challenges. Does a big one come to mind, and how did you overcome it?
Eric Bond: Ironically, our biggest challenge today is awareness. We have this amazing, impactful product with an incredible history, but a lot of people don’t connect the story back to Fisher Space Pen.
Our opportunity now is growth—getting the story and product out to the broader public. If everyone knew, I think everyone would want one. We’re focusing on expanding marketing going into 2026. We’re a vintage brand—founded in 1948—and now we’re modernizing our branding so more people have access to a reliable writing pen.
Susan Wise: Because if the product works, you don’t need to change it.
Eric Bond: Exactly. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We have the opposite problem of most brands. Usually it’s “great product, no story.” For us, it’s “great product, great story,” but not enough awareness.
Susan Wise: What one piece of advice would you like to share with our listeners today?
Eric Bond: I’d say this: failing to plan is planning to fail. Always have a plan, always be prepared, and keep a positive outlook. And—buy a Fisher Space Pen.
One more thing we say is, “The sky is never the limit.” For us, space was never the limit. So shoot for the stars and see where you land.
Susan Wise: And we can find these pretty much anywhere, right?
Eric Bond: Yes. Spacepen.com if you want to go directly to us, but also REI, Office Depot, Amazon, and other retailers. We’re out there, and we’re excited to grow momentum going into 2026.
Susan Wise: Before we wrap up, I always like to ask guests about a past or present passion project.
Eric Bond: This may sound a little cheeky, but one of my side projects is applying to game shows. I love watching them and always think, “I could’ve done that better!” A few years ago, I was watching Survivor and thought I’d do well on it. So I’ve been applying to different shows—that’s kind of a fun little passion project on the side.
Susan Wise: I love it. That’s great.
Eric Bond: Yeah.
Susan Wise: Eric, thank you so much for sharing your story with us and reminding us about this great product.
Eric Bond: Thank you, Susan. I appreciate it.
Susan Wise: Eric Bond, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Fisher Space Pen. Make sure to get yours now. Be sure to connect, collaborate, and accelerate with us.
Eric Bond: We’d like to invite you to join starsciences.org. Receive a free one-year membership—just enter the promo code FRIENDS321.
Susan Wise: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and subscribe. Until next time, keep looking up.
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