Phase 2: Earth orbits

CAPCOM

We have a Go, with a 7-orbit capability.

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Sweet words.

Scott Carpenter

Okay, turnaround has stopped. I'm pitching down. I have the moon in the center of the window, and the booster off to the right slightly.

CAPCOM

Roger. Understand.

Scott Carpenter

Fly-by-wire is good in all axes; my pitch attitude is high; coming down now.

CAPCOM

Roger. Understand.

Scott Carpenter

Roger. The control system on fly-by-wire is very good. I have the booster in the center of the window now, tumbling very slowly.

CAPCOM

Roger, Aurora Seven. Understand. You sound real good.

Scott Carpenter

A steady stream of gas, white gas, out of the sustainer engine. Going to ASCS now.

CAPCOM

Roger. Understand.

Scott Carpenter

ASCS seems to be holding very well. I have a small island just below me.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, standby for retrosequence times.

CAPCOM

Area 1 B is 17 17.

CAPCOM

Roger, standby for later times. That's all I have right now.

CAPCOM

Roger, Sequence time for end of orbit.

Scott Carpenter

Send your message.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, retrosequence time for end of orbit—28 26.

CAPCOM

End of mission, 04 32 39.

CAPCOM

Negative 04 3, 04 32 39.

Scott Carpenter

Roger, Understand, 04 32 39.

Scott Carpenter

Roger, I have copied.

Scott Carpenter

ASCS looks good, all fly-by-wire thrusters appear to be good in all axes. Going to—beginning to unstow the equipment.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven.

Scott Carpenter

Roger, and the SECO checklist is complete. She peaked at 6.3[g's].

CAPCOM

Cap Com. Over.

Scott Carpenter

Go ahead, Gus. Loud and clear. How me?

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, Cap Com.

Scott Carpenter

Roger, loud and clear. How me?

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, Cape Cap Com. Over.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, Cape Cap Com. Over.

Scott Carpenter

Loud and clear, Gus. How me?

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, Cape Cap Com. If you read, retro delay to normal?

Scott Carpenter

Retro delay normal. Roger.

CAPCOM

. . . igee 86 [nautical miles].

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Copied perigee 86 [nautical miles]. Did not get apogee.

Scott Carpenter

Mark. One picture of the booster. Going to transmit and record now. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, . . . 10, 11, 12 pictures of the booster, traveling right down the center of the booster, right down the center of the window.

Scott Carpenter

Going over the insertion checklist now. D-c volts is main. Retromanual fuse switch is off. Retromanual is off. All instruments are. All batteries okay. The a-c power is good. The, let's see, where's the booster? There's some beautiful cloud patterns down there. The booster is in front of a large cloud pattern. I seem to be, I seem to be much closer to the earth than I expected to be. The booster is approximately 2 miles away now.

Scott Carpenter

I have some pictures of the booster, maybe 17 or 18, all together. Then going to the horizon, north sweeping south. There is the moon, just setting. Winding the camera at this time.

Scott Carpenter

There are some rather large pieces floating around. The flight plan is now out. Gyros are going to free at 12 33, and I'm going to fly-by-wire to track the booster. I will—this is not a good tracking problem. Our speeds are too close to being the same. I will put it in the center of the right window, plus. I have it right in the center—I feel that—overshot there. Getting ahead of me in pitch.

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Scott Carpenter

The high thrusters work well, close tracking should be done on—on fly-by-wire low only. To follow the booster is a tough job with the highs. Gyros are staying within limits pretty well. Elapsed time is 13 56. I have lost sight of the booster at this time. I'll pick up a retroattitude at this time for Canary radar. Large piece of—

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Spoken on May 24, 1962, 12:57 p.m. UTC (62 years, 6 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

Scott Carpenter

Going back to gyros free, or to gyros normal.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven. This is Canary Cap Com. How do you read? Over.

Scott Carpenter

Hello, Canary Cap Com. Aurora Seven. Reading you loud and clear. How me?