From: Russell Whitaker (russell_whitaker@hotmail.com)
Date: Wed Jan 17 2001 - 15:23:21 MST
>From: "Terry Donaghe" <Terry@Donaghe.com>
[SNIP]
>Hey - I want one that writes UPSIDE DOWN and UNDER WATER!
>
>Like the astronauts might have if astronauts were upside down under water
[SNIP]
Actually, the old Fisher* Space Pen (http://www.spacepen.com/)
does both; I tried it out underwater (in Florida's Crystal
River) when I was working at a dive shop many years back.
The problem's not the pen, it's the writing surface. I was
able to write semi-adequately on a cloth by pressing harder
than normal in each pen stroke. The cartridge is nitrogen
pressurized. It worked at about 20 feet (roughly 1.66ATM or
25psi total); not sure if it would have worked at greater
depths.
Nowadays we use underwater writing slates. ;-)
Or, for that matter, full face/free flow masks with
diver address systems (looking to buy one myself).
Very similar to what the astronauts use:
"http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/3518/DH-FullFace.htm"
Russell
* - sidenote: I actually met Paul Fisher at a libertarian
function of some sort years ago in Las Vegas. Nice old guy.
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