Phase 1: Launch

John Glenn

Roger. The clock is operating. We're underway.

CAPCOM

Hear loud and clear.

John Glenn

Roger. We're programing in roll okay.

John Glenn

Little bumpy along about here.

CAPCOM

Standby for 20 seconds.

CAPCOM

2 — 1, mark.

John Glenn

Roger. Backup clock is started.

John Glenn

Fuel 102-101 [percent], oxygen 78-100 [percent], amps 27.

CAPCOM

Roger. Loud and clear. Flight path is good, 69 [degrees].

John Glenn

Roger. Checks okay. Mine was 70 [degrees] on your mark.

John Glenn

Have some vibration area coming up here now.

CAPCOM

Roger. Reading you loud and clear.

John Glenn

Roger. Coming into high Q a little bit; and a little contrail went by the window or something there.

John Glenn

Fuel 102-101 [percent], oxygen 78-101 [percent], amps 24. Still okay.

John Glenn

We're smoothing out some now, getting out of the vibration area.

CAPCOM

Roger. You're through max. Q. Your flight path is. …

John Glenn

Roger. Feels good, through max. Q and smoothing out real fine.

John Glenn

Cabin pressure coming down by 7.0 okay; flight very smooth now.

John Glenn

Sky looking very dark outside.

John Glenn

Cabin pressure is holding at 6.1 okay.

CAPCOM

Roger. Cabin pressure holding at 6.1.

John Glenn

Roger. Have had some oscillations, but they seem to be damping out okay now.

John Glenn

Coming up on two minutes, and fuel is 102-101 [percent], oxygen 78 102 [percent]. The g's are building to 6.

CAPCOM

Roger. Reading you loud and clear. Flight path looked good. Pitch 25 [degrees] Standby for.

John Glenn

Roger. BECO, back to 1 1/2 g's. The tower fired; could not see the tower go. I saw the smoke go by the window.

CAPCOM

Roger. We confirm staging on TM.

John Glenn

Still have about 1 1/2 g's. Programming. Over.

John Glenn

There the tower went right then. Have the tower in sight way out. Could see the tower go. Jettison tower is green.

CAPCOM

Roger, Seven. Still reading you loud and clear. Flight path looks good.

John Glenn

Roger. Auto Retrojettison is off; Emergency Retrojettison Fuse switch, off; Retrojettison Fuse switch, off.

John Glenn

UHF/DF to normal.

CAPCOM

Flight path looks good; steering is good.

John Glenn

Roger. Understand everything looks good; g's starting to build again a little bit.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Bermuda has you.

John Glenn

Roger. Bermuda standby. This is Friendship Seven. Fuel 103-101 [percent], oxygen 78-100 [percent]. All voltages above 25, amps 26

CAPCOM

Roger. Still reading you loud and clear. Flight path is very good. Pitch, -3 [degrees].

Expand selection up Expand selection down Close

Spoken on Feb. 20, 1962, 2:51 p.m. UTC (62 years, 8 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

John Glenn

My pitch checks a -7 [degrees] on your -3 [degrees].

John Glenn

Friendship Seven. Fuel 103-101 [percent], oxygen 78-100 ]percent], amps 25, cabin pressure holding at 5.8.

CAPCOM

Roger. Reading you loud and clear. Seven, Cape is Go; we're standing by for you.

John Glenn

Roger. Cape is Go and I am Go. Capsule is in good shape. Fuel 103-102 [percent], oxygen 78-100 [percent], cabin pressure holding steady at 5.8, amps is 26. All systems are Go.