John Glenn

Roger, understand before California contact.

CAPCOM

Roger. Would like to confirm your control systems status, fly-by-wire low yaw right is inoperative.

John Glenn

That's affirmative.

CAPCOM

Good in all axes. Over.

John Glenn

That is affirmative

CAPCOM

Can you give status on your ASCS system? Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. ASCS started out operating, it would drop into orientation mode in yaw and that would throw the other axes out. It was doing this for a while it world drift off slowly, yaw right and there would be no correction until it went out about 20° . Then it would come rapidly back across and correct itself from a 20° right attitude, would come back across to a left attitude in orientation mode. This continued for a while. I took control, that was right after Guaymas. By the time I had gone over Africa the condition had just reversed, had just reversed. The same thing, only the other direction. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, I understand.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, if you're ready, could we conduct this 30 minute report? Over.

John Glenn

Friendship Seven. Roger. All switch fuses still same position. Squib is armed. Auto Retrojettison is off. ASCS mode selector is normal, rate command, gyro, normal. Manual fuel handle is pulled. Automatic fuel is still on. Retro-Delay, normal, Landing Bag is off. Everything else on sequence panel is normal. Fuel. …

CAPCOM

Could we have a blood pressure check? Start your button, then exercise the bungee cord, then start your blood pressure check again. Over.

John Glenn

Roger. Friendship Seven. Blood pressure coming on.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. We're reading your blood pressure, what kind of result on your visual acuity test? Over.

John Glenn

Roger. Friendship Seven. Visual acuity still good. Can read same lines I did when starting out. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger. Would like to go through this 30-minute report again, starting with the Auto Retro-jett switch. Go ahead.

John Glenn

Auto Retro-jettison is armed. I'm having to break this in the middle because I need to keep looking out the window to control accurately. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. … discussion. Over.

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John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Auto Retro-jettison is off. ASCS mode selector is normal, rate command, gyro normal. All “T” handles are in except manual, and it is out. I am controlling manually at present time. Landing Bag switch is off. Sequence panel is all normal except for that. The control fuel is 60-82 [percent]. Attitudes at present time on manual control are roll 5 [degrees] right, yaw 15 [degrees] right, pitch —34 [degrees] in orbit attitude. My time from launch is 2 plus 33 plus 60, MARK! Correction that would be 2 plus 34 on that mark. Did you receive? Over.

John Glenn

Roger. Cabin pressure is 5.5 and holding. Cabin air is 95 [degrees]. Cabin excess water light is still on. I'm turning it down a little bit more yet.

John Glenn

Cabin relative humidity is indicating 20 [percent]. Coolant quantity is 66 [percent]. Suit is 68 [degrees] on temperature, pressure 5.8 indicated, steam temperature, 50 [degrees] in suit circuit and comfortable. Oxygen is 65-100 [percent] amps 20. Voltages: main 24, 25, 25, 25; standby one is 25, 25; isolated 29; and back on main. Fans is 113, ASCS 113. I have two warning lights on, the excess cabin water and fuel quantity. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. Aeromed would like to know whether you have conducted your exercise on bungee cord. Over.

John Glenn

Negative, I have not done that recently. Will conduct that now as part of this check. You had a blood pressure.

CAPCOM

You are fading now. Standby for Canton in a few minutes. This is Woomera Cap Com, Over and Out.

John Glenn

Okay, exercise conducted. Blood pressure starting.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Woomera, are you still receiving me? Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Canton Com Tech.

John Glenn

Hello Canton Com Tech. Friendship Seven. How did you receive UHF-HI? Over.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Canton Com Tech. Reading you loud and clear. Standby for Cap Com.

John Glenn

Roger. Canton Cap Com, Friendship Seven. Fuel 62-75 [degrees], oxygen 65-98 [percent], correction 65-100 [percent], amps 23. My condition is good. The sunrise is coming around the capsule right now. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. This is Canton. We have TM solid; go ahead, Over.

John Glenn

Roger. This is Friendship Seven, and now that the sunrise is starting, I have all these little particles coming around the capsule again, just at sunrise.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven.

John Glenn

I also can see the light on my, on steam from the thruster when I operate it. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. Are, are your thrusters working, are all your high thrusters working okay. Over.

John Glenn

This Friendship Seven. Affirmative, operating okay.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I think my, I can see a little bit of steam spitting against the dark sky here occasionally from my pitch down manual thruster. Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. All these little particles; there are thousands of them; and they're not coming from the capsule. They're something that's already up there because they're all over the sky. Way out I can see them, as far as I can see in each direction almost.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is Canton. Our telemetry here indicates that everything is okay. Over.

John Glenn

Roger, Friendship Seven.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is Canton. Our Aeromed would like to hear any comments you have on weightlessness, nausea, dizziness, taste and smell sensations. Over.

John Glenn

Friendship Seven, I have no sensations at all from weightlessness except very pleasant. No ill effects at all, I'm not sick; feel fine. I have had no, no dizziness: I've run the head checks, the head movements and have no problem with that. I've run the oculogyric check and have no problem with that. I haven't been able to use much of the equipment this orbit, however. I've been mainly concerned with this control problem. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. Our fuel quantities here agree with yours. Our 150 fans inverter temperature is 200 [degrees]. The ASCS temperature is 190 [degrees]. Out

John Glenn

Roger, Friendship Seven.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is Canton. Do you have all the retro times that you need? Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I believe so. I have Foxtrot coming up here, I mean Golf coming up, at 03 00 39. Is that affirm?

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I'm trying to get some pictures of these particles that are outside here. Over.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, that time we have for Golf is 03 00 39. Over.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is Canton. We also have no indication that your landing bag might be deployed. Over.

John Glenn

Roger. Did someone report landing bag could be down? Over.

CAPCOM

Negative, we had a request to monitor this and to ask you if you heard any flapping, when you had high capsule rates. …

CAPCOM

… this was. Over.

John Glenn

Well, I think they probably thought these particles I saw might have come from that, but these are, there there are thousands of these things, and they go out for, it looks like miles in each direction from me and they move by here very slowly. I saw them at the same spot on the first orbit. Over.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, what control mode are you in presently?

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I am in manual. While on the dark side, I aligned myself with the horizon, when up to 0 0 0, and caged the gyros and uncaged again. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. Will be losing contact any minute now, you have reentry checks to make and approximately 10 minutes, until California contact. Over.

John Glenn

Roger, Friendship Seven.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, this is Hawaii Com Tech on UHF and HF. How do you read? Over.

John Glenn

Say again, Com Tech, what station?

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Hawaii Com Tech on UHF and HF. How do you read? Over.

John Glenn

Hello Hawaii. Loud and clear; how me? Over.

John Glenn

Hello Hawaii. Friendship Seven. Loud and clear; how me? Over.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is Hawaii Cap Com, I read you loud and clear. What is your status report? Over.

John Glenn

Roger, Friendship Seven, ah.

G

He has contact, we're putting air-to-ground on.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Fuel 62-74 [percent], oxygen 64-98 [percent], amps 23. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. The first part of your transmission was broken up; could you say again, fuel?

John Glenn

Roger, fuel 62-74 [percent]. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger. Read 62-74 [percent], Friendship Seven. Cape would like to know if you have made the visual check on the gyros yet?

John Glenn

This is affirmative. During the dark side I went to 0 0 0 as best I could and caged and uncaged the gyros. I'm rechecking this at present time. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger. I'll stand by until you complete your checks and we'd like to get the results.

John Glenn

Roger, Friendship Seven.

John Glenn

Hawaii, this is Friendship Seven. Are we getting scanner ignore? Over.

CAPCOM

There are no ignore indications on the ground as of now, Friendship Seven. Hawaii. Over.

John Glenn

Roger. This is Friendship Seven. When I aligned in, standby one.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Roll appears to be about 20° off. At present time, I am indicating 20° right roll when I am lined up perfectly with the horizon. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. Understand you still have a 20° error in your attitude indication after caging the gyros.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. That's affirmative. It's drifted off again. It was correct at that time; it apparently has drifted off. It's about 20° off in roll.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, could you give us a readout on all three axes; we'd like to compare ground readouts.

John Glenn

Roger, Friendship Seven. Roll indicates 19 [degrees] right, yaw, 2 [degrees] left, pitch —22 [degrees]. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. Read you loud and clear.

John Glenn

Friendship Seven, Hawaii Cap Com. Can you estimate the drift rates you are getting?

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Drift rates are very difficult to pick up for some reason. I have not been able to get real accurate drift rates. I feel that. …

CAPCOM

Do you still consider yourself GO for the next orbit?

John Glenn

That is affirmative, I am GO for the next orbit.

CAPCOM

Roger, I understand. At present time ground concurs.

CAPCOM

Could you, could you give me a readout on exhaust temperature, please?

John Glenn

Friendship Seven. Roger. Exhaust temperature, 47 [degrees].

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Hawaii Cap Com. Could you read exhaust temperature please?

John Glenn

Roger. Exhaust temperature 47 [degrees].

CAPCOM

Roger. Understand 47 [degrees].

CAPCOM

Surgeon requests a blood pressure readout if convenient at this time.

John Glenn

Roger 47 [degrees].

John Glenn

Correction, Roger, blood pressure, 47 [degrees] on steam temp, blood pressure on.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I have a pretty good run here on, on yaw check. I believe my yaw is pretty accurate. Roll is off by about 20° to the right at present time.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. Roll is off by 20° to the right; yaw looks pretty good. Hawaii. Over.

John Glenn

That's affirmative.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Hawaii Cap Com. MCC confirms that they are GO at the present time for third orbit.

John Glenn

Roger. Friendship Seven.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Hawaii Cap Com. Do you read? Over.

John Glenn

Roger, Hawaii. Loud and clear, how me?

CAPCOM

Are you ready to copy?

John Glenn

Friendship Seven. Go ahead.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I have a better alignment now on the day side, I believe, on these, on the attitude. I will probably cage and uncage gyros again. Over.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, this is California Com Tech, California Com Tech. Do you read? Over.

John Glenn

Roger, California Com Tech. Read you loud and clear. How me? Over.

John Glenn

Hello, California Com Tech. Friendship Seven. How me? Over.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, this is California Com Tech, California Com Tech. Do you read? Over.

John Glenn

Roger, California Com Tech. Friendship Seven. How me? Over.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, this is California Com Tech, California Com Tech. Do you read? Over.

John Glenn

Hello, California Com Tech. Friendship Seven. Loud and clear; how me?

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, this is California Com Tech, California Com Tech. Do you read? Over.

John Glenn

Hello, California Com Tech. Friendship Seven. Loud and clear; how me?

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, California Cap Com. Read you loud and clear, John.

John Glenn

Say again. You came in garbled that time. This is Friendship Seven.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is California Cap Com. We read you loud and clear; how me?

John Glenn

Roger. Receiving you much better now, Wally. Very good. Fuel is 62-62 [percent], oxygen 62-95 [percent], amps are 25. All systems are still go. I have had some erratic ASCS operation. I caged and uncaged on the night side and it appears to be working fairly well now although I was drifting again in roll a moment ago. It appears to have corrected itself in roll, however, without me caging again now. Over.

CAPCOM

Good, John. We have a go all the way on this. I'd like to give you your inverter temperatures. Your fans are 215 [degrees], your ASCS 198 [degrees]. We're not going to do anything about them. Looks real good.

CAPCOM

Will you give me your attitudes and we'll check those with ground.

John Glenn

Roger. I'll go back into orbit attitude, drifting toward it at present time. Do you have TM solid now? Over.

John Glenn

Roger. Roll is 5 [degrees] left, yaw 3 [degrees] right, pitch — 32 [degrees], right now.

CAPCOM

Roger, have your readings.

CAPCOM

John, we check almost right on the button with your attitudes within 2°.

John Glenn

Roger. I appear to have a little bit of drift in the scope yet though.

CAPCOM

Roger. You probably don't have a good reference yet, do you?

John Glenn

It's rather, it's more difficult to pick up drift than I thought it would be. Your best drift really is to look out the window and try and get something moving away from you out the window.

CAPCOM

Roger, I've got you there.

CAPCOM

You understand that your capsule elapsed time is running about a second slow compared to GET.

John Glenn

No, I did not; I was not aware of that on the elapsed time.

CAPCOM

Roger. This will affect your sequence time. I'll give you 3 Alpha if you're ready to copy.

John Glenn

Roger, ready to copy 3 Alpha.

CAPCOM

Roger. 3 Alpha corrected for the second error will be 03 plus 11 plus 26. Over.

CAPCOM

You have your end-of-orbit time, and that has not changed and I believe you have Area Golf also.

John Glenn

That's affirmative. I have Golf at 03 plus 00 plus 39 and Hotel at 04 plus 32 plus 40.

CAPCOM

That is correct. You can correct your Area Golf by subtracting one second and subtract one second from Hotel.

John Glenn

Roger. Understand for my retrosequence for end-of-mission is 04 plus 32 plus 39. Is that affirm?

CAPCOM

Negative. That should be 04 plus 32 plus 38.

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Spoken on Feb. 20, 1962, 5:20 p.m. UTC (62 years, 10 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet