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T O P I C R E V I E WRichardAs we know, NASA has used autopen machines to sign for its astronauts and we have seen multiple examples of autopen patterns for each. Does anyone know when the autopen originated (Thomas Jefferson?) and what modifications have been made during NASA's use?ScottThomas Jefferson invented a device that duplicated a person's handwriting live, as they were actually writing, so technically it was not an autopen device.Eisenhower was the first President I believe to use the autopen.bravobluesIt is my understanding that NASA (at least JSC) has done away with the autopen machine and is using digital printing of signatures. Can anyone add any info or discredit this? uzzi69The last shuttle crew litho (STS-105/ISS2/ISS3) that I received was done by this new process. The "autographs" have no indent into the litho at all, and when viewed at an angle to the light, it can be seen that all signatures have exactly the same appearance, as if they were done simultaneous. I don't know if it could be considered an autopen, if no mechanical pen were used... perhaps it's a new type of photocopy.RichardIt has always been pretty easy to figure out an autopen by the sharp stops and starts, the dot at the end of the lines and the absence of tapering lines. With the new process, you wouldn't know if it was an "autopen" until you recieved it. I mean that if you were to see an item on eBay and didn't actually have a good library of these new autopen signatures, you might be fooled. uzzi69I know that if you look closely at shuttle crew autopens, they have a slightly "wavy" appearance to them, as if the autopen unit were slightly trembling as it worked. The new method that was present on the STS-105 crew litho had no waves whatsoever, so a scan might be deceptive.Russ StillYou can find the history NASA's autopen use on page 138 in "Relics of the Space Race, Third Edition." The autopen machine hasn't been used for new astronauts since approximately 1990.PhilipWhen were the first autoPen signatures issued by NASA? After the flight of John Glenn in the spring of 1962?Editor's note: Threads merged.
Does anyone know when the autopen originated (Thomas Jefferson?) and what modifications have been made during NASA's use?
Eisenhower was the first President I believe to use the autopen.
I don't know if it could be considered an autopen, if no mechanical pen were used... perhaps it's a new type of photocopy.
I mean that if you were to see an item on eBay and didn't actually have a good library of these new autopen signatures, you might be fooled.
The new method that was present on the STS-105 crew litho had no waves whatsoever, so a scan might be deceptive.
Editor's note: Threads merged.
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