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Author
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Topic: History of NASA's autopen machine use
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Richard
New Member Posts: 5
From: Morrisonville, New York USA
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted 01-07-2004 09:59 AM
   
As 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? |
Scott
Member Posts: 3307
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2001
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posted 01-07-2004 10:04 AM
Thomas 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. |
bravoblues
Member Posts: 15
From: Houston, Texas
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 01-08-2004 02:07 PM
It 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? |
uzzi69
Member Posts: 181
From: Richmond, IN USA
Registered: Jun 2001
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posted 01-10-2004 10:47 PM
The 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. |
Richard
New Member Posts: 5
From: Morrisonville, New York USA
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted 01-11-2004 03:16 PM
It 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. |
uzzi69
Member Posts: 181
From: Richmond, IN USA
Registered: Jun 2001
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posted 01-12-2004 07:10 PM
I 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 Still
Member Posts: 535
From: Atlanta, GA USA
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-15-2004 02:02 PM
You 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. |
Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 10-05-2019 09:30 AM
When were the first autoPen signatures issued by NASA? After the flight of John Glenn in the spring of 1962?Editor's note: Threads merged. |
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