John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven Can see El Centre and the Imperial Valley down there; Salton Sea very clear.

CAPCOM

It should be pretty green; we've had a lot of rain down here

CAPCOM

Do you notice any contrast over the coastline, John?

CAPCOM

How about contrast over the coastline?

John Glenn

There is quite a bit of cloud cover down in this area. I can, right on track, I can only see certain areas. I can see quite a bit on up to the north, however.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven, going to manual control.

CAPCOM

Roger, Friendship Seven.

John Glenn

This is banging in and out here; I'll just control it manually.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Guaymas Cap Com, reading you loud and clear.

John Glenn

Roger, Guaymas, read you loud and clear also.

Comm Tech

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

John Glenn

Roger, Texas, go ahead.

Comm Tech

Roger. Reading you 5 square. Standby for Texas Cap Com.

CAPCOM

This is Texas Cap Com, Friendship Seven. We are recommending that you leave the retropackage on through the entire reentry. This means that you will have to override the 0.05g switch which is expected to occur at 04 43 53. This also means that you will have to manually retract the scope. Do you read?

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. What is the reason for this? Do you have any reason? Over.

CAPCOM

Not at this time; this is the judgment of Cape Flight.

John Glenn

Roger. Say again your instructions please. Over.

CAPCOM

We are recommending that the retropackage not, I say again, not be jettisoned. This means that you will have to override the 0.05g switch which is expected to occur at 04 43 53. This is approximately 4¼ minutes from now. This also means that you will have to retract the scope manually. Do you understand?

John Glenn

Roger, understand. I will have to make a manual 0.05g entry when it occurs, and bring the scope in manually. Is that affirm?

CAPCOM

That is affirmative, Friendship Seven.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven, going to reentry attitude, then, in that case.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, Cape flight will give you the reasons for this action when you are in view.

John Glenn

Roger. Roger. Friendship Seven.

CAPCOM

Everything down here on the ground looks okay.

John Glenn

Roger. This is Friendship Seven.

CAPCOM

Confirm your attitudes.

CAPCOM

Friendship Seven, this is Cape. Over.

John Glenn

Go ahead, Cape. Friendship Seven.

CAPCOM

Recommend you go to reentry attitude and retract the scope manually at this time.

John Glenn

Roger, retracting scope manually.

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Spoken on Feb. 20, 1962, 7:28 p.m. UTC (62 years, 1 month ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

CAPCOM

While you're doing that, we are not sure whether or not your landing bag has deployed. We feel it is possible to reenter with the retropackage on. We see no difficulty at this time in that type of reentry. Over.

John Glenn

Roger, understand.

CAPCOM

Seven, this is Cape. Over.

John Glenn

Go ahead, Cape. Friendship Seven.

CAPCOM

Estimating 0.05g at 04 44.

CAPCOM

You override 0.05g at that time.

John Glenn

Roger. Friendship Seven.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I'm on straight manual control at present time. This was, still kicking in and out of orientation mode, mainly in yaw following retorfire, so I am on straight manual now. I'll back it up. …

CAPCOM

… on reentry.