Nasa's Space Pen

I recieved the following e-mail this morning from a friend at the office.

"When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat this problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion developing a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 300 C.

The Russians used a pencil.

Enjoy paying your taxes ? ............. They're due again!

Now I assumed the story was a myth, and according to Snopes the rumor is False but it sure makes a great ancedote from 2 perspectives.

1. Never develop new technology when old technology is all that is neccessary.

2. The government has a tendency to overspend.