The Story of the Billion Dollar Space Pen

[yevaud]

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/613/1 <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[billslugg]

It also depends on the accounting method. Some vendors are allowed to spread overhead costs equally amongst the items they sell to the govt. A gyro might cost $10,100. $100 is its share of the overhead. A hammer from that vendor might then be billed to the govt at $109. A hundred for the overhead, nine for the hammer. <br /><br />The correct way to look at it is the "incremental out of pocket" cost. That is the additional real dollars of buying one more item. In the case of the gyro, it would be $10,000. For the hammer, $9. (Approx) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[yevaud]

Of course.<br /><br />However, I thought it was an interesting read about how the "zero-G pen" actually went, not the public perception. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[billslugg]

Yes, I recall reading of this years ago, that NASA was reluctant to spend development dollars on a pressurized insert, but was unwilling to risk an electrical short resulting from a broken pencil tip floating around. They were willing to buy the pressurized pen after it was offered. I don't understand why a Pentel would be any better. If they use them like me, tiny bits are flying all over the place. And that last little bit always gets lost. Maybe they got some sort of non-conductive lead. I still don't like the idea of small bits floating around. What if you got one in your lungs? Hooray for nose hairs. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[h2ouniverse]

please give me the vendor's name for a 10,000$ gyro!<br /><br />(multiply that by 200 and you will approach market price)

 

[billslugg]

H2Ouniverse<br /><br />I believe Harbor Freight is running a special through Xmas. Comes with a string to get it started. Buy two and you get a set of space flight rated "D" batteries. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>