Spacelog Mercury 6

R Cal is off.

Roger.

That was sure a short day.

Say again, Friendship Seven.

That was about the shortest day I've ever run into.

Kinda passes rapidly, huh.

Yes Sir.

Fine.

Okay. Do you have any landmark, any other landmark observations to make? Over.

This is Friendship Seven. I have the Pleiades in sight out here, very clear. Picking up some of these star patterns now. Little better than I was just off of Africa.

Roger, understand you have Pleiades in sight. Have you sighted Orion yet? Over.

Negative. Do not have Orion in sight yet.

Within a few seconds, you should have Orion and Canopus and Sirius probably in sight very shortly thereafter. The moon will be off. …

Roger.

Do you have time to send us a blood pressure reading? Over.

Roger. Standby.

Roger.

Roger. The surgeons are standing by for your blood pressure whenever you're ready.

Roger. I'm already sending it. Did they pick it up? Over.

Roger. They have it in good shape.

Roger. I do have the lights in sight on the ground. Over.

Roger. Is it just off to your right there?

That's affirmative. Just to my right I can see a big pattern of lights apparently right on the coast. I can see the outline of a town and a very bright light just to the south of it. On down. …

Perth and Rockingham, you're seeing there.

Roger. The lights show up very well and thank everybody for turning them on, will you?

We sure will, John.

Very fine. On down farther to the south and inland, I can see more lights. There are two, actually four patterns in that area. And also, coming into sight in the window now is another one almost down under me. The lights are very clear from up here.

Roger. Sounds good.

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven. This is Woomera Cap Com, reading you loud and clear. We have TM solid. Woomera standing by.

Roger, Woomera.

Friendship Seven. We have your blood pressure readout, reading 126 over 90. What kind of results from your physiological tests? Over.

This is Friendship Seven. I have had no ill effects at all as yet from any zero-g. It's very pleasant, in fact. Visual acuity is still excellent. No astigmatic effects. Head movements caused no nausea or discomfort whatsoever. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven. Let's go ahead with this 30-minute report please, starting with the fuse panel positions. Over.

Roger. This is 30-minute report coming up. Have gone through head movements and I get no effect from that. Have gone through the reach test and have no problem with that at all. My orientation is good, vision is clear. My moving target, looking at a light spot back and forth causes no ill effects whatsoever. Running the light test at present time and all lights do check okay in the capsule. I am over a large cloud bank at present time, almost extending to the left of my course which would be to the south. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven. Let's continue on with this 30-minute report.

Roger. Panel rundown follows: The fuse switches on the left panel are all as previously reported, without repeating them again. Squib is armed. Auto Retrojettison is off. ASCS Mode Select is normal, auto, gyro normal. All “T” Handles are in. The Retro Delay is normal, Cabin lights are on both. I have the red filters on, of course. The Telem low frequence is on. Rescue Aids is auto. All sequence panel items are normal except the Landing Bag to the center-off position. Fuel is 90-100 [percent]. Attitude indications are 5 [degrees] right, 3 [degrees] left, 36 [degrees] down. EPI is indicating fairly well, indicating almost over Woomera at present time. Time from launch on my mark will be 58 plus 15. Standby-MARK. Retrograde time is still set at 04 plus 32 plus 28.

Cabin pressure is holding steady at 5.5. Temperature in the cabin is 100 [degrees]. Cabin humidity is 25 percent, Coolant quantity is 67 percent. Suit environment is 62 [degrees]. Inlet pressure. Inlet temperature, … pressure is 5.8 on the suit. Steam temperature is 57 [degrees] and dropping since I turned it down. Oxygen is 74-101 [percent]. Amps 23. Are you still copying? Over.

Affirmative, Friendship Seven. Go ahead.

Roger. Main Bus is 24, One is 25, 25, 25. Standby One is 25, 25. Isolated 29, and Main 24 again. Fans 113, ASCS 113. All switch fuses on the right are on except Retrojettison and Retromanual in the center-off position. All other switches normal. Over.

Hello. Roger, Friendship Seven. Read you loud and clear. All systems appear go at this time. Your clocks are in sync. We have the Woomera Airport lights on. Do you, do you see? Over.

This is Friendship Seven. Negative, I do not; there's too much cloud cover in this area. I had the lights at Perth in good shape; they were very clear, but I do not have the lights at Woomera; sorry. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven.

Friendship Seven, let's have another blood pressure check please. Over.

Friendship Seven, Roger.

Hello, Friendship Seven, Woomera Cap Com. 150 volt inverter temperature reading 195 [degrees]; 250 inverter temperature reading 172 degrees.

Roger.

Friendship Seven, this is Woomera Cap Com. What's your cabin temperature reading? Over.

Woomera, standby just a moment, please.

Say again. You wanted cabin temperature?

Roger, Friendship Seven.

Cabin temperature 100 [degrees]. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven. Your Roll Auto Line temperature is reading 110 [degrees].

Roger.

Temperature is reading 95 [degrees]. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven.

This is Friendship Seven. Getting some pictures of star. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven.

Hello Friendship Seven, Woomera Cap Com. Do you read me? Over.

Roger, Woomera Cap Com. Still read you loud and clear. How me?

Weak but readable, Friendship Seven. All systems appear go at this time. Blood pressure reading 125 over 90. You have an HF check coming up in about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, and Canton acquisition approximately 7 minutes. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven. Thank you very much. All systems are still go at this time. Switching to HF. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven. This is Woomera Cap Com. Out.

Hello Woomera, Friendship Seven on HF. Do you receive me? Over.

This is Friendship Seven. This is Friendship Seven, broadcasting in the blind to the Mercury network. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. This is Mercury Friendship Seven. Out.

This is Canaveral Cap Com, testing the HF. GMT 15 52 05, MARK. I did not read the capsule. Cape, out.

Friendship Seven, this Kano. GMT 15 53 02. I did (Kano) not read your transmission. Kano, out.

Friendship Seven. This is Canton Com Tech. Do you read? Over.

Hello, Canton. Hello, Canton. This is Friendship Seven. Read you loud and clear, how me? Over.

Hello Canton. Hello Canton, Friendship Seven. Read you loud and clear. How me? Over.

Friendship Seven, Canton Com Tech. Read you loud and clear, also. Stand by for Cap Com.

Roger. This is Friendship Seven. Com Tech Canton. Fuel 90-100 [percent], oxygen 73-101 [percent].

Seven, this is Canton Cap Com. Go ahead. Over.

Roger, Canton Cap Com. My report follows: Fuel 90 100 [percent], oxygen 73-100 [percent], amps 22, cabin pressure holding steady at 5.5 Over.

Friendship Seven, this is Canton Cap Com. Would you repeat that please?

Roger, Canton. Friendship Seven repeating. First, do you have TM solid? Over.

Friendship Seven, this is Canton. Affirmative, we do have TM solid.

Roger, message follows: Control fuel 90-100 [percent], oxygen 73-100 [percent], amps 22, cabin pressure 5.5 and holding steady. Over.

Ah, Roger, Friendship Seven. What control mode are you in the present time? Over.

This is Friendship Seven. Still in automatic, automatic. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven. Canton standing by.

Roger, Friendship Seven.

Friendship Seven. This is Canton Cap Com. All systems on the ground appear go. Your 150 volt-amp inverter temperature is presently 188° repeat 188° . Your clocks are in sync. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven. Thank you.

This is Friendship Seven, preparing to eat. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven.

This is Friendship Seven. I had a big storm in sight off to the south, of course, for a little while and had lightning flashes going around on top of the clouds. I could see it very clearly. Over.

Roger.

This is Friendship Seven. Opening visor, going to eat. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven.

This is Friendship Seven. Having no trouble at all eating, very good. In the periscope, I can see the brilliant blue horizon coming up behind me; approaching sunrise. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven. You are very lucky.

You're right. Man, this is beautiful

This is Friendship Seven. Have eaten one tube of food, shutting the visor. I've had no problem at all eating. Oh, the sun is coming up behind me in the periscope, a brilliant, brilliant red. Over.

Roger.

This is Friendship Seven. It's blinding through the scope on clear. It's started up just as I gave you that mark; I'm going to the dark filter to watch it come on up.

Roger.

This is Friendship Seven. I'll try to describe what I'm in here. I am in a big mass of some very small particles, that are brilliantly lit up like they're luminescent. I never saw anything like it. They round a little; they're coming by the capsule, and they look like little stars. A whole shower of them coming by.

They swirl around the capsule and go in front of the window and they're all brilliantly lighted. They probably average maybe 7 or 8 feet apart, but I can see them all down below me, also.

Roger, Friendship Seven. Can you hear any impact with the capsule? Over.

Negative, negative. They're very slow; they're not going away from me more than maybe 3 or 4 miles per hour. They're going at the same speed I am approximately. They're only very slightly under my speed. Over.

They do, they do have a different motion, though, from me because they swirl around the capsule and then depart back the way I am looking.

Are you receiving? Over.

There are literally thousands of them.

This is Friendship Seven. Am I in contact with anyone? Over.

This has been going on since about 1 plus 15. Over. Just after I remarked about the sunset. I looked back up and looked out the window, and all the little swirl of particles was going by. Over.

This is Friendship Seven. This is Friendship Seven, broadcasting in the blind again on HF.

This is Friendship Seven, broadcasting in the blind. Sunrise has come up behind in the periscope. It was brilliant in the scope, a brilliant red as it approached the horizon and came up; and just as the—as I looked back up out the window, I had literally thousands of small, luminous particles swirling around the capsule and going away from me at maybe 3 to 5 miles per hour. Now that I am out in the bright sun, they seem to have disappeared. It was just as the sun was coming up. I can still see just a few of them now, even though the sun is up some 20° above the horizon.

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven. This is Guaymas Com Tech, Guaymas Com Tech, transmitting on HF-UHF. Do you read? Over.

Hello, Guaymas Com Tech, Guaymas Com Tech. This is Friendship Seven. Receive your HF loud and clear. How me? Over.

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven. This is Guaymas Cap Com. You're little garbled right now, but understandable. What is, what is your status? Over.

This is Friendship Seven on HF. My status is excellent. Everything is going according to plan. Control fuel is 90-100 [percent], oxygen is 72-101 [percent], amps 22. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven. Would you repeat your oxygen please? Over.

This is Friendship Seven. Oxygen is 72-101 [percent]. Over.

Roger.

Friendship Seven, Guaymas Cap Com. Everything looks fine from here.

Roger. This is Friendship Seven. Understand everything looks okay.

… 110. Your main inverter temperatures are rising slightly, but everything is okay now. Over.

Roger. Friendship Seven.

This is Friendship Seven. I still have some of these very small particles coming around the capsule. Over.

Friendship Seven, Guaymas Cap Com. Say again, please. Over.

This is Friendship Seven. Just as the sun came up, there were some brilliantly-lighted particles that looked luminous, that were swirling around the capsule. I don't have any in sight right now; I did have a couple just a moment ago, when I made the transmission to you. Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven.

This is Friendship Seven. For the record, number, the number two film that I'm putting in the camera is the number four roll.

Friendship Seven. Guaymas Cap Com. We have about 3 minutes yet before we acquire telemetry. I'll give you, I'll give you your retrosequence times for Areas 2 Alpha, Golf, Hotel. Area 2 Alpha is 01 36 38.

This is Friendship Seven. Standby. I'm not ready to copy yet; I'm changing film in the camera. Over.

Roger, we're standing by.

This is Friendship Seven, going back and using the number 2 roll if I can get hold of it.

Negative, number 2 is missing; I'm using number 3.

Friendship Seven, Guaymas Cap Com. Say again, please.

This is Friendship Seven, I was making a transmission for the record here on what film I was loading. Over.

Roger.

Friendship Seven, Guaymas Cap Com. Could you go to UHF now?

Roger. This is Friendship Seven, going to UHF.

Hello, Guaymas, Friendship Seven on UHF. Do you receive? Over.

Roger, Friendship Seven, loud and clear. Over.

Hello, Roger, this is Friendship Seven. Loud and clear with you also. Are we still go from Control Center? Over.

Roger, we're still go.

Roger. Friendship Seven. All systems are go in the capsule. I still have some of these little particles coming around the capsule occasionally here. I can see them against the dark sky even on the day side. Over.

Roger, understand.

Friendship Seven, Guaymas. Do you want your contingency times now? Over.

This is Friendship Seven. Ready to copy.

Area 2 Alpha 01 36 38. Area Golf 03 00 41.

Say again Area Golf again, please.

Area Golf 03 00 41.

Roger, Area Golf is 03 plus 00 plus 41. Is that affirm?

That's affirmative. Area Hotel is 04 32 40.

Roger, 04 plus 32 plus 40 for Hotel.

Friendship Seven, Guaymas. If you have a chance, could you give us a blood pressure check? Over.

Roger. Friendship Seven. Will give blood pressure check. I still have some of these particles that I cannot identify coming around the capsule occasionally. Over.

Roger. How big are these particles?

Very small, I would indicate they are on the order of 16th of an inch or smaller. They drift by the window and I can see them against the dark sky. Just at sunrise there were literally thousands of them. It looked just like a myriad of stars. Over.

Roger. Are they moving by you or floating with you? Over.

Some of them almost float with me. Most of them appear to be moving at about 3 to 5 miles an hour away from me. I'm going just a little faster then they are. Over.

Roger.

Friendship Seven, Guaymas Cap Com. We have a scope retract indication on ground. Believe it's ground failure. Over.

That is affirmative. The scope is extended. The scope is extended. Over.

Roger.

This is Friendship Seven. A lot of cloud cover. I cannot see land yet. Over.

This is Friendship Seven. Yaw is drifting out of orbit attitude and will bring it back in. Over.

Roger.

Friendship Seven, Guaymas. I said the, I have an indication of scope retract. Your say your scope is out, though? Over.

That is affirmative.

Roger.

Friendship Seven, California Cap Com. We have your scope as extended.

That is affirmative, Cal, scope is extended.

Roger, we concur here.

Roger.

This is Friendship Seven. Yaw drifted out of limits about 20 degrees to the right. I'm bringing it back in manually at present time. Over.

Roger.

This is Friendship Seven. Back on ASCS.

Friendship Seven, Guaymas. You were on ASCS when it started drifting out. Over.

That is affirmative.

This is Friendship Seven. Now on fly-by-wire to hold orbit attitude.

This is Friendship Seven. I have the land in sight out the window. Controlling manually, on fly-by-wire.

Friendship Seven. Is the ASCS OK now? Over.

I'll switch back on to it now and see.