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Quick answer
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.
On this page10 sections
The AG7 closed, 130 mm (drawn at 1 mm = 5 px).
Product facts
Product
Fisher Space Pen AG7 Original Astronaut Space Pen (chrome)
Chrome-plated brass body and clip, pressurized PR4 refill (per Fisher and GP Knives)
Released
1965*
Price range
$$$$20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Colors
Chromechrome plated
Ink
Black PR4 refill, medium point, included
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Notes on these facts
Made by Fisher Space Pen Co.. Made in 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. Price: example listing. Released: Patent filed May 19, 1965 and granted November 15, 1966 (US 3,285,228), per Wikipedia; first flown on Apollo 7, launched October 11, 1968.
Colors: names per Fisher Space Pen, checked October 24, 2026. 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. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
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.
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 is a short capped pocket pen. Both take the same PR4 cartridge.
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 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.
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.
