Peggy Whitson, the renowned former NASA astronaut, is set to embark on her inaugural commercial space mission, and she will be accompanied by a familiar companion—a Fisher Space Pen. Fisher Space Pen, in collaboration with Axiom Space, the Houston-based space services company that Whitson currently flies for, has introduced Axiom-branded Fisher space pens for Whitson and her crewmates on the upcoming Ax-2 mission. This exciting development marks a continuation of Whitson’s longstanding association with Fisher pens, which she used on her previous three flights to the International Space Station.
Expressing her enthusiasm, Whitson stated in a video released by Fisher, “I am excited about the idea that we’re continuing the legacy of taking Fisher pens to space. It’s really been a very long history for these space pens. I’m looking forward to using them again.” Whitson’s remarkable accomplishments include holding the records for the most time spent in space by an American and by a woman, with a current total of 666 days. However, this duration pales in comparison to the extensive years of service rendered by Fisher space pens, which made their debut in 1968 and have since been utilized on lunar missions and in Earth’s orbit.
Whitson will be accompanied on the Ax-2 mission by pilot John Shoffner and mission specialists Ali AlQarni and Rayyanah Barnawi from the Saudi Space Commission. These three individuals will be first-time fliers to have the privilege of using Fisher space pens as they travel with Whitson aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and reside on the International Space Station for slightly over a week.
Matt Fisher, the vice president of Fisher Space Pen and the grandson of the late Paul C. Fisher, the inventor of the pressurized ink cartridge used in Fisher pens, expressed his delight at the partnership with Axiom Space. “Our partnership with Axiom Space is one giant step in extending my grandfather’s legacy,” Fisher remarked. “He would have been ‘over the moon’ excited to see this partnership come to fruition.”
Commencing with the Ax-2 mission, Fisher Space Pen will provide Axiom Space’s clients and crew members with their black titanium nitride Astronaut Space Pen adorned with Axiom’s logo. This pen closely resembles the model initially utilized by the Apollo 7 astronauts, but with a dark titanium body, whereas the original astronaut pens were crafted from solid brass with a chrome finish.
Additionally, Fisher is introducing two other options to the public—the Bullet and Cap-O-Matic space pens, both featuring Axiom’s logo and sporting a new coating. Fisher describes the color as a unique Navy Blue hue from Cerakote’s ‘ELITE’ series. The ‘ELITE’ series is renowned for its unrivaled abrasion, corrosion, and chemical resistance, while maintaining an upscale appearance and tactile experience.
The collaboration between Fisher Space Pen and Axiom Space is expected to extend beyond the Ax-2 mission, encompassing Axiom’s future private endeavors, including launches to their commercial space station, currently under development. Notably, Axiom is the sole company that has secured an agreement with NASA to dock its initial modules to the International Space Station. These modules will be outfitted and tested before being deployed independently into Earth’s orbit.
As Peggy Whitson embarks on her new space mission, she carries with her a symbol of both historic legacy and modern partnership. Fisher Space Pen’s collaboration with Axiom Space marks another chapter in the extraordinary journey of these iconic writing instruments that have played a role in human exploration beyond the confines of our planet.
