FELT TIP PEN FLOWN TO THE LUNAR SURFACE

WORN IN ALAN BEAN'S SPACESUIT DURING BOTH MOONWALKS & USED FREQUENTLY OVER THE COURSE OF THE APOLLO 12 MISSION

FLOWN TO LUNAR SURFACE Felt Tip Pen, 5 inches, black plastic end and aluminum clip with Velcro patch glued to the cap. Clip is stenciled "USA Rocket." With an Autograph Letter Signed by ALAN BEAN on his personal illustrated letterhead.



ALAN BEAN'S handwritten provenance letter reads: "I hereby certify that the accompanying felt tip pen travelled with me to the lunar surface on the Ocean of Storms in November 1969. I used this pen in our command module, Yankee Clipper, on the way to and from the moon. I used it during descent and landing on the moon, inside our lunar module, intrepid, and on liftoff to rendezvous with the orbiting command module. I carried it in my right arm pocket during both moonwalks."



The problem of using an ink pen in a zero-gravity environment was one that led NASA to briefly develop a space pen before rising costs forced the organization to employ other writing instruments until the private sector could step in. Felt tip pens of this type were one alternative attempt, but were limited by their need to operate at low viscosity, and were thus affected by operating temperature and pressure.