On July 20, the U.S. and the world will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Eagle lunar module landing. No one who witnessed this history in the making will ever forget astronaut Neil Armstrong stepping onto the Moon’s surface followed by astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s first steps 19 minutes later, nor will they forget Armstrong’s immortal statement: “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” And with them on the Moon was a pressurized ink pen by Boulder City, Nevada, supplier Fisher Space Pen Co. (PPAI 242118).

Fisher Space Pen founder Paul Fisher first developed the technology behind the pen as a solution to a problem challenging astronauts in space—without gravity, ball point pen ink wouldn’t flow smoothly, and while pencils would seem an easy fix, broken leads posed a hazard floating around the electronics-heavy interior of a spacecraft. Fisher was granted a patent for his pressurized ink cartridges in 1966 and submitted samples of his pens to NASA. After testing and approval, astronauts began using the AG-7 Anti-Gravity Space Pen on Apollo 7 in 1968. Since then, the company’s products have had a place on all manned space flights, including the space shuttle program and the Mir Space Station and International Space Station. And a Fisher Space Pen was with astronaut Michael Collins, who orbited the Moon during Apollo 11’s lunar mission in the Columbia command module.

Fisher Space Pen joined the promotional products industry around 2005. Cory West, the supplier’s director of advertising specialties, says, “Distributors are utilizing our products in almost every facet of the industry. [Our products] are great for corporate gifts and giveaways but are also very utilitarian in that [they] are used by firefighters, construction workers, engineers, doctors, lawyers, waiters, waitresses and anyone who needs a reliable writing instrument. [The Fisher Space Pen] is also featured as a promotional item in museums—such as the New York Museum of Modern Art and the MET—and in their gift shops.

In recognition of the Apollo 11 anniversary, Fisher Space Pen has produced a limited edition, collectable pen and commemorative coin set, featuring a piece of the ‘Kapton’ Kapton foil that actually flew through space on from the spacecraft that is embedded in the pen’s cap. Production is limited to 500 pieces. And the anniversary is spurring more attention to the company’s wares in the promotional products market. West says, “Our distributors have been motivated to sell more Space Pens as the anniversary has placed a spotlight on the space program to which we have a long-standing connection.”