John Glenn

Plus 38. Roger. Does Cape want me to set that into clock at present time? Over.

CAPCOM

Negative, we have not had those instructions. I'll have Arnie check for you.

John Glenn

Roger. I am still operating on prelaunch time of 04 plus 32 plus 28. Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Coming across the Gulf of Lower California at present time in the scope.

CAPCOM

John, for your information, the clocks will be set over Canaveral.

John Glenn

Roger, understand clocks will be set by command, is that affirm, or do they want…

CAPCOM

That is negative. They, on contact with Al, they will have you change the clock.

CAPCOM

For your information your O2 is holding. It seems to be working; it's reading about

John Glenn

Roger, Friendship Seven. Cabin temperature is holding steady at about 90 [degrees]. I still have excess cabin water light on and my, I have the cabin water turned almost completely off at present time.

CAPCOM

Roger, it sounds like it's working out all right anyway.

John Glenn

Roger, it's doing okay. We'll make one more orbit okay.

CAPCOM

I assume you are still on manual proportional; is that correct?

John Glenn

That's affirmative, I'm still on manual.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Guaymas Cap Com reads you loud and clear. Over.

John Glenn

Roger, Guaymas. Read you loud and clear, also.

CAPCOM

John, the Aeromeds are real happy with you; you look real good up there.

John Glenn

Ali right, fine, glad everything is working out. I feel real good, Wally. No problems at all.

Comm Tech

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

John Glenn

Hello, Texas, this is Friendship Seven. Read you loud and clear. How me? Over.

Comm Tech

Roger, reading you five square on HF. Let's try UHF. Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven, I'm on UHF. Over.

Comm Tech

Roger, Friendship Seven, Roger. Standby for Cap Com.

CAPCOM

This is Texas Cap Com, Friendship Seven. Do you read?

John Glenn

Roger, Texas Cap Com. Loud and clear. How me?

CAPCOM

Loud and clear. We have no queries down here. Continue with your observations please.

John Glenn

Roger. This is Friendship Seven. Systems all operating normally. I gave my quantities again. There's no need to waste more time on those. I am pitching down to about 60° to make observation. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, we confirm down here on the TM. Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Just passed over El Paso in good shape. Could see town through some of the clouds, Over.

John Glenn

Friendship Seven, flying over complete cloud deck at present time.

John Glenn

I'm pitching down to 60° at present time. Orbit attitude in roll and yaw.

Comm Tech

Canaveral Com Tech. How do you copy? Over.

John Glenn

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

Comm Tech

Roger, Friendship Seven. This is Canaveral Com Tech. Copy you loud and clear, also. Standby for Cap Com please.

John Glenn

Hello, Cap Com. Friendship Seven. Fuel is 62-60 [percent]; oxygen is 62-95 [percent]; amps 23. Over.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, reading you loud and clear. I'll give you the 3 Bravo Time, 03 22 26. Over.

John Glenn

Roger, 03 22 26, for 3 Bravo. Is that affirm?

CAPCOM

… 3 Charlie 03 40 18. Over.

John Glenn

Roger, 03 40 18 for 3 Charlie.

CAPCOM

That is correct. At this time change your retro setting manually to 04 32 38. Over.

John Glenn

Roger, 04 plus 32 plus 38.

John Glenn

Roger, retrograde time is reset to 04 plus 32 plus 38. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Seven. We recommend for the third orbit that you use gyros as you desire either normal or free so that in the event prior to retrofire on the third orbit that the scanners and ASCS do not program properly you may use your gyros in the free position for attitude reference. Over.

John Glenn

Roger. This is Friendship Seven. I have a fair, pretty good line-up now on the gyros, I believe. The check that I made on the night side was okay but they drifted off again, apparently rather rapidly in fact. I got another check on it and they seem to have corrected back pretty good now. I did not have to cage them again. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Seven, we understand. The only problem is that you may not have enough light time prior yo retrofire.

CAPCOM

Let the gyros work in the free position if you desire. Over.

John Glenn

Roger. Friendship Seven.

CAPCOM

Also, Seven, we recommend that you allow the capsule to drift on manual control in order to conserve fuel. Over.

John Glenn

Roger. Friendship Seven.

CAPCOM

Seven, this is Cape. Standby for Z Cal.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this Bermuda Cap Com. We read you loud and clear.

John Glenn

Roger, Bermuda. Hear you loud and clear also.

CAPCOM

Seven, this is Cape. Over.

CAPCOM

Correct your 3 Bravo time to 03 22 22. Over.

CAPCOM

Well, Seven, I'm having trouble, the seconds should be 32. Over.

John Glenn

Hello Bermuda. Friendship Seven. It's over to you. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. We have nothing for you, you're in good shape.

John Glenn

Roger, this is Friendship Seven. I have the Cape in sight down there. It looks real fine from up here.

CAPCOM

Yea, verily, Sonny.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven, Flor-, I can see the whole state of Florida just laid out like on a map. Beautiful.

John Glenn

Even from this position out here, I can still see clear back to the Mississippi Delta.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven, checking down in Area Hotel on the weather and it looks good down that way. Looks like we'll have no problem on recovery.

CAPCOM

Very good. We'll see you in Grand Turk.

John Glenn

In fact, I can see clear down, see all the islands clear down that whole chain from up here, … I can see way beyond them and area Hotel looks excellent for recovery.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Bermuda Cap Com.

John Glenn

Go ahead, Bermuda.

CAPCOM

Cape recommends that you reenter on ASCS with manual for backup.

John Glenn

Roger, this is Friendship Seven. Understand recommend ASCS with manual backup.

John Glenn

This, this operation of ASCS has been very erratic. I have not been able to pin it down to any particular, one particular item. It went off one direction in yaw at one time; it went off the other the next time. I felt for a little while that pitch was drifting. It seemed to have a little stuck thrust in pitch at one time and I have to keep correcting that and that corrected itself and then I was off in roll just after I came off the dark side this time. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, understand. I have all that down. Could you give us a blood pressure please?

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, can you give me both your primary and secondary oxygen?

John Glenn

Roger, primary oxygen is 62 [percent], secondary is 94 [percent].

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I'm letting it drift a little bit to the right here to look up north.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Bermuda Cap Com.

John Glenn

Go ahead Bermuda.

CAPCOM

Your fans inverter temperature is 205 [degrees] and your ASCS temperature is 195 [degrees].

John Glenn

Roger, sounds real good, Gus, fine.

CAPCOM

You're in good shape.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, you want to go to HF now?

John Glenn

Roger, Friendship Seven. Going to HF.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Bermuda Cap Com. How do you read on HF?

John Glenn

Bermuda, Friendship Seven. Loud and clear; how me?

CAPCOM

You're weak but readable, John.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Bermuda we have lost TM contact.

John Glenn

Roger, understand LOS.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I've drifted around almost to the 180° point again.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Bermuda Cap Com. Are you still in contact?

John Glenn

Roger, this is Friendship Seven. I'm around at the 180 [degree] point. I'm facing the direction I'm traveling, Gus. Do you still receive? Over.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Bermuda Cap Com. We do not read you.

Comm Tech

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

John Glenn

Hello, Canary Com Tech. On HF; how do you receive me? Loud and clear from you. Over.

Comm Tech

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

Comm Tech

Rog, Roger. Read you 5 by, read you 5 by, here in the Canaries. Over.

John Glenn

Roger, Friendship Seven. I read you loud and clear on HF, also.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, this is Canary Cap Com. I read you loud and clear.

John Glenn

Roger, Canary. Loud and clear here also.

CAPCOM

Would you give me a brief station report? Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Fuel is 62-54. [percent]. Oxygen is 62-94, [percent], amps 24. Over.

CAPCOM

Understand that auto fuel is 63 [percent] and manual fuel is 94 [percent]. Over.

John Glenn

Negative. Manual fuel is 54 [percent], 54 [percent]. Over.

CAPCOM

54 [percent]. Over.

John Glenn

Canary, did you get manual fuel at 54 [percent] fiver four? Over.

CAPCOM

Roger. Manual fuel at 54 [percent].

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is Canary Cap Com. How do you feel?

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I feel fine; no effects whatsoever, none.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven. Are you still seeing the particles around your capsule?

John Glenn

Negative. I don't seem to see them around here on this side. I saw a few, just a few just after I left Canaveral and turned around facing forward. They were coming toward me at that time. I was going, so I know that they were not coming from the capsule at all. I saw the particles in huge quantities at each sunrise so far. Over.

CAPCOM

Say again, Friendship Seven.

John Glenn

The particles I saw were mainly at sunrise each time around. Over.

CAPCOM

I understand. What control mode are you on?

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I am in manual. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger. Understand.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is Canary Cap Com. The Aeromed wants to talk to you. Over.

John Glenn

Roger. Go ahead, Aeromed.

Flight Surgeon

This is Canary surgeon. Are you having any nausea, or have you experienced any nausea at all during the entire flight?

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Negative. I have felt perfectly normal during the whole flight. I feel fine. Over.

Flight Surgeon

Very good. Back to Cap Com.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, do you want your inverter temperatures at this time?

John Glenn

Roger. This is Friendship Seven. Go ahead.

CAPCOM

Roger. We're turning you over to Canary Systems.

SY

Friendship Seven, this is Canary Systems. How do you read?

John Glenn

Go ahead, Canary Systems, go ahead.

SY

The systems on the ground look fairly normal at this time. The temperatures are a little bit on the high side but there's nothing critical showing up. The latest reports show that the inverters are about 200 [degrees] and 210 [degrees]; this does not seem to be critical. They should be holding all this level. Do you understand?

John Glenn

Roger. Friendship Seven.

SY

All other systems are as you reported to me.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, this is Atlantic Ship Cap, Com Tech. How do you read? Over.

John Glenn

Hello, Atlantic Cap Com. Read you loud and clear. How me? Over.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, this is Atlantic Ship Com Tech. We read you weak but broken, weak but broken.

John Glenn

Roger. Friendship Seven. Fuel 64-54 [percent], oxygen 62-94 [percent], amps 23. Over.

John Glenn

Hello, Atlantic Ship: Atlantic Cap Com. Friendship Seven, do you receive? Over.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is ATS Cap Com. How do you read me? Over. And what mode are you on for communications? Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I'm on HF at present time, on HF. I'll shift to UHF— is, if you're in solid contact. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. We have TM contact, we have TM contact. Switch to UHF please.

John Glenn

Roger, switching to UHF.

John Glenn

Atlantic Ship, this is Friendship Seven. Over.

John Glenn

Hello, Atlantic Ship. Friendship Seven. Over.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is ATS Cap Com. Read only the last part of your transmission. Say again, please.

John Glenn

Atlantic Ship, This is Friendship Seven. Wish you would pass to Cape. I let the capsule drift around to the 180° position and I am having to reorient at present time. When Iain all lined with the horizon and the periscope, my attitude indications now are way off. My roll indicates 30° right; my yaw indicates 35 [degrees] right; and pitch indicates plus 40 [degrees]; I repeat plus 40 [degrees] when I am in orbit attitude. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. I read you a little broken. You have discrepancies in attitudes of 30° right in roll, 35 [degrees] right in yaw and plus 40 [degrees] in pitch. Confirm, please. Over.

John Glenn

That is affirmative. I am realigning the capsule at present time and wilt cage and uncage the gyros before I go on the dark side. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger. We will standby.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven, ATS. Do you receive?

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven. Reading you loud and clear. Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven, in orbit attitude present time, caging gyros.

John Glenn

Gyros to cage, ready now.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Gyros are back on normal, going back to orbit attitude and will try ASCS. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger. Standing by.

John Glenn

Friendship Seven. Going to ASCS. Ready-now.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is ATS Cap Com. Do you read me? Over.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, you are getting weak, you are getting weak. Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Did not read you, ATS.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, this is Zanzibar Com Tech, transmitting on HF UHF.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, this is Zanzibar Com Tech, transmitting on HF UHF. Do you read? Over.

John Glenn

Hello, Zanzibar Com Tech. Zanzibar Com Tech, Friendship Seven. Receive you weak but readable. How me? Over.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, this is Zanzibar Com Tech transmitting HF UHF. You're weak and garbled, weak and garbled. Do not copy. Over.

John Glenn

Roger. Friendship Seven. I receive you rather garbled, also. My condition is good. Fuel 5, correction, fuel 64-48 [percent]; oxygen 52-92 [percent]. Over.

CAPCOM

(ATS) Friendship Seven, this is ATS Cap Com. I'm reading you very clear, very clear. Could you give me the reason for the errors in your attitudes, please?

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. That's a good question. I wish I knew, too. These errors have been off and on all during the flight. I have caged and recaged the gyros, caged and uncaged the gyros. I'm back in orbit attitude now but it is not, the attitude indicators are showing orbit attitude but it's not. By looking out at the horizon, I am about 20° right in roll and 20° too much on pitch down. I'm down to about probably 55° down in pitch by visual observation and about 20° right in roll. Yaw appears to be holding okay now. Over.

CAPCOM

(ATS) Friendship Seven, ATS Cap Com.

John Glenn

Atlantic Ship, this is Friendship Seven. Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven, approaching sunset.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, this is Zanzibar Com Tech transmitting on HF UHF. Please acknowledge on HF. Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven recording. A lot of dirt on the windows from the retrofire and lot of stuff on here looks like, ah, we might have smashed some bugs even on the way up off the pad. Looks like blood on the outside of the window, maybe. It makes it real, very difficult to observe anything when they get around on the sun side.

John Glenn

Friendship Seven. The sun is going down again now. Coming off automatic in yaw, and yawing a little bit to the left to observe it.

John Glenn

Mark, the sun is down.

John Glenn

And can see little or nothing of zodiacal light at the moment.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven, flying with yaw handle pulled. Controlling on manual yaw.

John Glenn

The way the horizon looks is a very orange band. Just as the sun goes down and extends way off either side, probably 45° each side of the sun, comes up into a lighter yellow, then a very deep blue, then a very light blue, on up to the black of the sky.

John Glenn

Once again I can see lightning flashing under me, very clearly.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, this is Zanzibar Com Tech, transmitting on HF UHF. Please acknowledge on HF. Over.

John Glenn

Hello, Zanzibar Com Tech. Friendship Seven on HF. Do you receive me now. Over.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is Zanzibar Cap Com reading you weak but garbled.

John Glenn

Roger. Understand reading me weak and garbled.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I took the capsule off of automatic in yaw only to go left to look at the sunset. It's back on automatic at present time in all three axes; I'm backing it up with manual. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven, understand you're in automatic control in all three axes, backing up with manual. Is this affirmative. Over.

John Glenn

That is affirmative.

John Glenn

There's quite a big storm area under me. It must extend for, I see lightning flashes, as far, way off on the horizon to the right. I also have them almost directly under me here. They show up very brilliantly here on the dark side at night. They're just like firecrackers going off. Over.

John Glenn

Zanzibar, this is Friendship Seven. Did you get my fuels when I reported them? Over.

Expand selection down Contract selection up

Spoken on Feb. 20, 1962, 5:50 p.m. UTC (62 years, 10 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

CAPCOM

Repeat your last transmission. Over.

John Glenn

Roger. This is Friendship Seven. Fuel is 60-55 [percent], oxygen is 60-92 [percent], Amps are 22. Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. All voltages are 25, or above. Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven at 3 plus 42. We should be just about over Johannesburg, I cannot see anything of southern Africa on this pass. Over.

CAPCOM

Zanzibar Cap Com. Do you read? Over.

John Glenn

Roger, Zanzibar. I'm reading you weak but readable.

John Glenn

Zanzibar Cap Com, Friendship Seven on HF. Can see long streaky clouds down below as we, going off to my right up into sort of a general weather pattern. That's 3 plus 44.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. An observation on control system operation: It appears that whenever I go off on manual, or fly-by-wire and maneuver for any lengthy period of time, that somehow we induce considerably, considerable errors into the gyro system. I come up with all kinds of attitudes. That time for instance, when I yawed around 180°, and held for a little while, and came back again, I had errors of 30° in roll, 35 [degrees] in yaw and plus 40 [degrees] in pitch.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven, going on manual pitch.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Several times I have felt that I had a partially stuck thruster or one that was just partly operating in pitch down and just then again I had a pitch up rate going and all at once I felt a down thrust and it pitched down on me. Again there, it repeated again that time, so I think I have a stuck pitch thruster occasionally.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, this is Indian Com Tech. How do you read? Over.

John Glenn

Hello, Indian Com Tech, Friendship Seven. Over.

Comm Tech

Friendship Seven, this is Indian Com Tech. I read you very weak, very weak, very garbled. Am turning over to Cap Com on UHF. Over.

John Glenn

Roger. Friendship Seven.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Friendship Seven, this is Indian Cap Com on UHF. Do you read? Over.

John Glenn

Roger, Indian Cap Com. I read you loud and clear. How me?

CAPCOM

About 3 by 3. You're coming in stronger. Over.

John Glenn

Roger. Friendship Seven. Fuel is 60 45 [percent], oxygen is 60 92 [percent], amps 23. Over.

CAPCOM

Say again your oxygen. Over.

John Glenn

Roger. Oxygen is 60-92 [percent]. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, understand.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is Indian Cap Com. What is your control mode? Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I'm on ASCS but it is operating very erratically. I'm backing it up with manual at the present time. I'm trying to get it set up so it will be in a decent ASCS attitude for retrofire. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, understand.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I can control it manually. I'll back it up manually and take over if I need to. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, understand.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is Indian Cap Com. I have your retrosequence times. Are you prepared to copy? Over.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Standby one.