--- title: "Fisher Space Pen AG7: The Apollo Astronaut Pen" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/fisher-space-pen-ag7/" description: "Fisher Space Pen AG7 Astronaut pen explained: the click pen from Apollo 7, 5.12 in long and 1.1 oz, the pressurized PR4 refill, AG7 vs Bullet, and its origin." category: "Pens" type: "Ballpoint" published: 2026-10-23 updated: 2026-10-24 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 6 products: - name: "Fisher Space Pen AG7 Original Astronaut Space Pen (chrome)" brand: "Fisher Space Pen" brand_origin: "United States" made_in: "United States" material: "Chrome-plated brass body and clip, pressurized PR4 refill (per Fisher and GP Knives)" released: "1965" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Fisher Space Pen Co." model: "AG7" mpn: "AG7" url: "https://www.spacepen.com/ag7-original-astronaut-space-pen" --- # Fisher Space Pen AG7: The Apollo Astronaut Pen > The Fisher AG7 Original Astronaut Space Pen is the retractable pressurized ballpoint Paul Fisher patented in 1965 and NASA flew from Apollo 7 in 1968. Fisher lists it at 5.12 in (130 mm) closed and 0.37 in across; GP Knives gives 1.10 oz (31 g). It uses the PR4 cartridge and is made in the USA. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/fisher-space-pen-ag7/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-23 - Updated: 2026-10-24 ![Chrome Fisher Space Pen AG7 Astronaut pen drawn to scale at 130 mm, with an inset of the ballpoint tip](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/fisher-space-pen-ag7-16x9.png) *The AG7 closed, 130 mm (drawn at 1 mm = 5 px).* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Fisher Space Pen AG7 Original Astronaut Space Pen (chrome) | Fisher Space Pen (by Fisher Space Pen Co.) | United States | United States | Chrome-plated brass body and clip, pressurized PR4 refill (per Fisher and GP Knives) | 1965 | $$$: $20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Fisher Space Pen AG7 Original Astronaut Space Pen (chrome)): United States. GP Knives lists the country of origin as the United States (read October 23, 2026), and Fisher's AG7 page says all Astronaut Pens are produced in the USA. Fisher's site refused our automated requests, so its wording comes from search results. NASA's Spinoff (2021) says Fisher makes all its pens in Boulder City, Nevada. Source: https://www.gpknives.com/fisher-space-pen-original-astronaut-space-pen-chrome-ag7 ### Fisher Space Pen AG7 Original Astronaut Space Pen (chrome) colors - Body colors (1 standard, 0 special edition): Chrome (chrome plated). - Ink in the box: Black PR4 refill (medium point, included). - Per Fisher Space Pen (https://www.spacepen.com/ag7-original-astronaut-space-pen), checked 2026-10-24. Fisher's AG7 page lists one color, Chrome, with a chrome-plated finish, and a black medium-point PR4 refill in the pen. The tints are hand-picked representative values, not sampled from a photo. Shops stock different colors; check the listing. ## Key takeaways - Fisher lists the AG7 at 5.12 in (130 mm) closed, 5.06 in open and 0.37 in (9.4 mm) across; GP Knives gives 1.10 oz (31 g). - Paul Fisher filed the AG7 patent on May 19, 1965, and NASA says the Space Pen's TV debut was on Apollo 7 in October 1968. - It takes Fisher's pressurized PR4 cartridge, which Fisher and retailers say writes upside down, underwater and from -30 °F to 250 °F (-34 °C to 121 °C). - A side button retracts the point, so it works one-handed; the chrome version is chrome-plated brass. - Fisher says all Astronaut Pens are produced in the USA; the main Amazon.com listing had 3,314 ratings on October 23, 2026. ## What is the Fisher AG7 Astronaut Space Pen? **It is Fisher's original retractable Space Pen, the model astronauts carried from the Apollo program on.** GP Knives' listing says the AG7 flew on Apollo 7 in 1968 and on later NASA, Soyuz and Mir flights, and that its design has barely changed since. Paul Fisher filed the patent for the AG7's pressurized cartridge on May 19, 1965, per Wikipedia. NASA's Spinoff site says the Space Pen made its TV debut on Apollo 7 in October 1968. It's one of our ten [best pens of all time](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-pens-of-all-time/). ## Fisher AG7 specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | Fisher Space Pen Co., United States | | Model | AG7, chrome | | Mechanism | Click to extend, side button to retract | | Refill | Fisher PR4, pressurized; black medium included | | Body | Chrome-plated brass | | Length | 5.12 in (130 mm) closed, 5.06 in (128.5 mm) open | | Diameter | 0.37 in (9.4 mm) | | Weight | 1.10 oz (31 g), GP Knives | Lengths and diameter from Fisher; GP Knives lists 5.11 in and 0.38 in. Fisher gives the closed length as slightly longer than the open one. ## How does the AG7 compare with the Fisher Bullet? **The AG7 is a full-length click pen; the [Fisher Space Pen Bullet](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/fisher-space-pen-bullet/) is a short capped pocket pen.** Both take the same PR4 cartridge. ![Fisher AG7 at 130 mm closed beside the Bullet at 96 mm capped and 136 mm posted, drawn to scale](https://stationerytimes.com/images/fisher-space-pen-ag7-vs-bullet.svg) *The AG7 and the Bullet to scale.* | | AG7 | Bullet 400 | |---|---|---| | Length | 130 mm (5.12 in) | 96 mm (3.77 in) closed, 136 mm posted | | Diameter | 9.4 mm | 9.7 mm | | Weight | 31 g (GP Knives) | About 21 g (GP Knives) | | Opening | Click, side release button | Pull-off cap | | Refill | PR4 | PR4 | Choose the AG7 for one-handed use, the Bullet for the smallest pocket pen; our [best pocket pens](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-pocket-pens/) guide compares more. ## How does the PR4 pressurized refill work? **The cartridge is sealed and pressurized with nitrogen, so the ink is pushed to the ball rather than pulled by gravity.** Wikipedia puts the pressure at nearly 45 psi; NASA says Fisher added resin to make the ink thixotropic, almost solid until the turning ball liquefies it. Fisher and retailers say the PR4 writes upside down, underwater and from -30 °F to 250 °F (-34 °C to 121 °C). NASA says its Manned Spacecraft Center found the pens worked in all positions, in extreme heat and cold, and from pure oxygen to vacuum, and drew a line more than three miles long, well past NASA's half-kilometer requirement. Our [best ballpoint pens](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-ballpoint-pens/) roundup compares it with everyday refills. ## Did NASA pay to develop the Space Pen? **No. NASA's Spinoff site calls the millions-of-dollars story a myth: Paul Fisher was already working on a pressurized pen, and NASA tested it.** Wikipedia adds that the pen was developed with private capital, not government funding. NASA says it wanted to avoid pencils because broken lead could float into equipment, and that cosmonauts have also used Space Pens since 1969. Fisher named the pen AG7, for anti-gravity, per NASA, and Space Pens have flown on every crewed NASA mission since Apollo 7. ## How much does the AG7 cost? **The chrome AG7 sits in our $$$ band, $20–75.** Coated versions cost more: Amazon.com listed the Black Titanium Nitride version at over $75 on October 23, 2026. Fisher makes many AG7 variants, including Moonwalker, raw brass, Space Force and Apollo 11 anniversary editions, per its site. ## Where is the Fisher AG7 made? **In the United States, in Boulder City, Nevada.** Fisher says all Astronaut Pens are produced in the USA, GP Knives lists the US as the country of origin, and NASA's 2021 article says Fisher still makes all its pens in Boulder City, where more than 60 employees turn out over a million pens a year. ## Frequently asked questions ### Did NASA pay millions to develop the Fisher Space Pen? No. NASA's Spinoff site says Paul Fisher was already working on a pressurized pen and NASA tested it; Wikipedia says it was developed with private capital, not government funding. ### What refill does the Fisher AG7 use? The Fisher PR4 pressurized cartridge. GP Knives says the chrome AG7 comes with a black medium PR4, and Fisher sells other colors and point sizes. ### What is the difference between the AG7 and the Fisher Bullet? The AG7 is a 130 mm click pen with a side release button; the Bullet is a short capped pen, 96 mm closed and 136 mm posted. Both take the PR4 refill. ### Can the Fisher Space Pen really write upside down? Yes. The cartridge is pressurized with nitrogen at nearly 45 psi, per Wikipedia, so ink doesn't rely on gravity. Fisher says it also writes underwater and in extreme temperatures. ### How heavy is the Fisher AG7? GP Knives lists the chrome AG7 at 1.10 oz, about 31 g, which makes it a substantial metal pen for its slim 0.37 in body. ### Is the Fisher Space Pen AG7 made in the USA? Yes. Fisher says all Astronaut Pens are produced in the USA, and GP Knives lists the US as the country of origin. ## Sources - [Fisher Space Pen: AG7 Original Astronaut Space Pen (Open 5.06 in, Closed 5.12 in, .37 in diameter; produced in the USA)](https://www.spacepen.com/ag7-original-astronaut-space-pen) - [GP Knives: Fisher Space Pen Original Astronaut Space Pen Chrome AG7 (5.11 in, 0.38 in, 1.10 oz, made in USA, PR4 black medium; read October 23, 2026)](https://www.gpknives.com/fisher-space-pen-original-astronaut-space-pen-chrome-ag7) - [NASA Spinoff: The real story behind the iconic Space Pen (Apollo 7, privately funded)](https://spinoff.nasa.gov/space-pens) - [Wikipedia: Space Pen (patent filed May 19, 1965; nitrogen at nearly 45 psi; Boulder City, Nevada)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Pen) - [DLT Trading: Fisher Space Pen Astronaut Pen, chrome](https://www.dlttrading.com/fisher-space-pen-astronaut-pen-chrome) - [Amazon.com: Fisher Space Pen Original Astronaut Pen (3,314 ratings on October 23, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MT1COPT)