Spacelog Mercury 7

Roger. My mode is auto, gyro normal, maneuver off.

Aurora Seven, Kano Cap Com. Be sure you're on fly-by-wire before going through the procedures for uncaging.

Roger. Roger. Understand.

I'm going to be unable to complete the MIT pictures on this pass, I believe. Negative, negative, I can fix the problem. Too much film was out of the canister, that was the problem. Film is now in tight. The small back going on now.

At 00 34 28, I'm increasing the cabin water valve and the suit valve to 6 [degrees]. Steam vent temperature now reads 65 and 75 [degrees].

Mark African coastal passage, about 20 seconds ago.

I'm using the airglow filter at this time. Visor is coming open for a better look at that. Hello, Indian Cap Com, Aurora Seven. Do you read?

Station calling Aurora Seven. Say again.

Okay. That took me some time to aline my attitudes properly. Three more pictures with MIT film: 2, 3, directly into the sun at an elapsed time of 00 39 42.

The big back is going on the camera at this time. There was a period there when nothing was recorded because I was in VOX power off, instead of record. The big …

At 00 43 02, I think my gyros are properly alined.

What in the world happened to the periscope?

Oh, its' dark, that's what happened. It's facing a dark earth. Sunset F16 to F, okay; we'll start with F16. Up north, coming south. Try some at 250.

It's getting darker. Let me see. Muchea contact, sometime. Oh, look at that sun.

F11.

F5.6 That was those last four, were F3.8. It's quite dark. I didn't begin to get time to dark-adapt.

Photo lights are off. Cabin lights are going to red at this time. Oh, man, a wide, a beautiful, beautiful red like in John's pictures. Going to fly-by-wire.

It is a reflection. It is a reflection in the window. That's too bad.

I see at this point; I'm not sure I am recording on VOX record. I will go to transmit. I have Venus, now approaching the horizon.

It's about 30 degrees up. It's just coming into view. Bright and unblinking. I cannot—I can see some other stars down below Venus. Going back to ASCS than at this time.

Bright, bright blue horizon band as the sun gets lower and lower—the horizon band still glows. It looks like five times the width of the—the diameter of the sun. I'm at—now at 00 47 34 elapsed.

It's now nearly dark, and I can't believe I'm where I am.

Oh, dear, I've used too much fuel.

Well, I'm going to have to increase. Let's see, going to ASCS at this time.

My fuel reads 75-100 [percent] at this time. The window—is Venus occlude. No, that—that is not correct. Venus did not occlude. I'm getting out the equipment to measure Venus occlusion.

There is too much red light in the cockpit from the time correlation. Venus at above the—horizon.

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

Hello, Muchea Cap Com, Aurora Seven. Loud and clear. How me, Deke?

Rog. Coming in very good, dad. Sound very good. How's things going?

Roger. Things axe going very well. My status is very good. The capsule status is very good. The control mode is normal. Automatic gyros normal and maneuver off. Fuel is 72-100 [percent]. Oxygen 88-100 [percent]. Everything is normal with the exception of—-the fact that I am a tad behind in the flight plan. Over.

Roger. Understand.

Blood pressure is starting now.

Okay. Blood pressure starting. We suggest that you do not exercise during the blood pressure since your temp is up.

Roger. This is the story on the suit temp. I have increased two 10-degree marks since lift-off. And now about—well, 15 degrees above launch mark. My steam vent temperatures read 69 and 80 [degrees]. I'll take one more stab at increasing or decreasing temperature by increasing flow rate. If this doesn't work, I'll turn them off and start lower. Over.

Rog, Understand. I'll give you some retrotimes while you're sending blood pressure. End of orbit is 01 28 18. End of mission is 04 32 28.

Roger. Understand. End of orbit 01 28 18 and 04 32 28 for end of orbit. Over. End of mission.

That's affirmative. We indicate your clock is 1 second slow and this is compensated for.

Roger. Thank you.

G.m.t. time hack at this time—we're coming up on 13 36 57. Mark.