John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. Going to fly-by-wire. I'm down to about 15 percent on manual.

CAPCOM

Roger. You're going to use fly-by-wire for reentry and we recommend that you do the best you can to keep a zero angle during reentry. Over.

John Glenn

Roger. Friendship Seven.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I'm on fly-by-wire, back it up with manual. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger, understand.

CAPCOM

Seven, this is Cape. The weather in the recovery area is excellent, 3-foot waves, only one-tenth cloud coverage, 10 miles visibility.

John Glenn

Roger. Friendship Seven.

CAPCOM

Seven, this is Cape. Over.

John Glenn

Go ahead, Cape, you're ground, you are going out.

CAPCOM

We recommend that you. …

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. I think the pack just let go.

John Glenn

This is Friendship Seven. A real fireball outside.

John Glenn

Hello, Cape. Friendship Seven. Over.

John Glenn

Hello, Cape. Friendship Seven. Over.

John Glenn

Hello, Cape. Friendship Seven. Do you receive? Over.

John Glenn

Hello, Cape. Friendship Seven. Do you receive? Over.

CAPCOM

… How do you read? Over.

John Glenn

Loud and clear; how me?

CAPCOM

Roger, reading you loud and clear. How are you doing?

CAPCOM

Roger. Your impact point is within 1 mile of the up-range destroyer.

CAPCOM

This is Cape, estimating 04 50. Over.

John Glenn

Okay, we're through the peak g now.

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Spoken on Feb. 20, 1962, 7:35 p.m. UTC (62 years, 7 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

CAPCOM

Seven, this is Cape. What's your general condition? Are you feeling pretty well?

John Glenn

My condition is good, but that was a real fireball, boy.

John Glenn

I had great chunks of that retropack breaking off all the way through.

CAPCOM

Very good; it did break off, is that correct?

John Glenn

Roger. Altimeter off the peg indicating 80,000.

CAPCOM

Roger, reading you loud and clear.

CAPCOM

Seven, this is Cape. You're … will be within 1 mile of the up-range destroyer. Recovery weather is very good. Over.

John Glenn

Roger, understand. 55,000, standby, MARK.

John Glenn

I'm getting all kinds of contrails and stuff outside out here.

CAPCOM

Roger. Say again your altitude, please. You were broken up.

John Glenn

Rocking quite a bit. I may still have some of that pack on. I can't damp it either.

CAPCOM

… post reentry check list. Over.

John Glenn

Friendship Seven. Going to drogue early. Rocking fairly, drogue came out.

John Glenn

Roger, drogue came out at 30,000, at about a 90° yaw.

CAPCOM

Roger, is the drogue holding all right?

John Glenn

Roger, the drogue looks good.

John Glenn

Scope did not come out.

CAPCOM

… check list.

John Glenn

Roger, pumping the scope out.