Remember when ‘space pens’ were a rage? They were the only pens that could work in zero gravity and were developed for the express purpose of writing in space. I’m here, however, to talk about another kind of Space Pen. Inspired by the democratization of space travel and how one private company, founded by Elon Musk is leading the charge to make space-travel accessible to all, the Nominal Pen is literally designed to look like a rocket… making it perhaps the most literal take on the ‘space pen’.
The pen’s name comes from the term ‘nominal’, often used for when everything’s going smoothly and according to plan. Designed as a celebration of SpaceX’s recent achievements of being the only private company to send humans to the ISS and bring them back (while even retrieving parts of the spaceship to be reused at a later date – something nobody’s ever done), the Nominal Pen models itself on the Falcon series of rockets (the Falcon 9 Block 5 in particular). The pen comes in a similar light+dark metal finish, featuring four retractable legs that open out, allowing it to stand vertically on its own… after all, it would be quite shameful to have to put a rocket-shaped pen in your pen-stand, right? The Nominal Pen’s retractable legs are operated by a twist-to-open mechanism machined right into the pen’s metal body… while the opposite end of the pen features a magnetic crew-capsule that detaches from the rocket-body! The pen comes in two variants – a matte aluminum, and glossy steel, and an optional Octo-stand to dock your ‘space pen’ on your desk in glorious fashion.
The Nominal Pen’s allure lies in its simple yet effective representation. The Falcon rocket’s relatively cylindrical design carries onto the pen very well, resulting in a piece of stationery that’s beautiful to look at, comfortable to hold… and comes fitted with a Schmidt P950M pressurized refill for a smooth writing experience too. The detachable crew-capsule is, to be very honest, a really addictive fidget-toy too, and reveals a metal surface beneath it which can be custom-engraved with your initials… the closest thing to ‘putting yourself on a rocket’! It would be fairly accurate to say that the Nominal Pen had a pretty successful launch on Kickstarter, and is currently “blasting” past its funding goal.
Oh yes, and it writes in zero-gravity too!
Designer: Mercator London
Click Here to Buy Now: $88 $195 (55% off). Hurry, only 53/150 left!
Nominal – SpaceX Rocket Inspired Rollerball Pen
The Nominal is a precision-engineered desk pen with a playful retracting mechanical legs and magnetic capsule.
Similar to those on the Falcon 9 Rocket, the Nominal has four retracting legs operated by simply twisting the body of the pen – allowing for a soft landing on your desk.
A magnetic Crew Cabin Capsule slides off to reveal a Black Mother of Pearl end cap. Should you wish, this end cap can be engraved with your own Monogram.
Just in case you’re on the next mission, each is fitted with a Schmidt P950M pressurised refill, capable of writing in zero-gravity. But, if you find you are more land-based, we have designed a simple screw mechanism into the base so it can use most other standard refills.
Made of 34 individual components, most of which are CNC-machined to precision in 316L stainless steel and aircraft-grade aluminum.
Nominal Accessories
Aluminum Case.
Octo-stand. The stand can be used with retracting legs in open or closed positions.
Magnetic Cargo Capsule. This also helps to extend the pen body for those who prefer a longer pen.
Nominal Capsule Keyring.
Click Here to Buy Now: $88 $195 (55% off). Hurry, only 53/150 left!
