The secret story of the Space Pen finally revealed

ONWARD THRU THE FOG. June 10, 2026

In honor of the upcoming Ballpoint Pen Day, we will now reveal the startling truth behind the story of the space pen and the persistent rumors that while Americans spent millions designing a pen that would work in space, their Russian competitors opted to use a pencil.

This story goes back to the early days of our efforts to catch up to the old Soviet Un…