Spacelog Mercury 7

That's negative. I'm afraid I'm not going to make it, Gordo, unless I get the attitudes—down close.

Roger. We're reading your attitudes all right at zero now.

Roger. The gyros are caged.

Aurora Seven, this is Cape Cap Com on emergency voice.

Roger, Cape. Loud and clear. How me?

Loud and clear. I'm going back to HF/UHF.

Roger.

Are you ready for your 2 Bravo time?

Roger. Send 2 Bravo.

01 49 30.

Roger. 01 49 30.

Roger. And 2 Charlie time is nominal.

Okay. Stand by one.

Okay, Gus, my status is good; my control mode is fly-by-wire; the gyros are still caged; maneuver is off. Fuel is 62 and 68 [percent]. A little ahead on fuel consumption; fuel quantity light is on; the excess cabin-water light is on. I'll try and get auto mode here directly.

Roger. Can you give us a blood pressure?

Roger. Blood pressure coming now.

And after the IOS voice has dropped, will use Zanzibar in that area.

Roger. I heard IOS calling, but I couldn't raise him.

Roger.

Aurora Seven, use a normal balloon release.

Roger.

And are you going to give me a mark for that?

Roger. One at an elapsed time of 01 37.

01 37. Roger.

Roger. In 2 minutes, Echo will be almost directly overhead.

Roger.

Could you give us a cabin steam and suit temperature, please?

Roger. Suit steam is 69 [degrees] and cabin is plus 11. That dropped down very suddenly when the excess cabin-water light came on. I think I'm going to—increase . . . I'll try to increase suit-water flow one more time. If that doesn't work I'll drop—down—to closed and start over again.

Aurora Seven, cut back your cabin water.

Okay. Cabin water going back. I'll start now at two. This is 20 degrees below launch value.

Roger. I'm going to give you a Z cal.

Roger.

Okay. I'm going to give you an R cal.

Be my guest.

One cycle per minute, or maybe 1 cycle in a minute and a half.

The moon is just above the horizon at this time.

I have a picture of the balloon.

Aurora Seven, Cap Com. Repeat your last message.

Roger. I've got a washer to put away.

Roger.

Aurora Seven, Aurora Seven. this is Bermuda Flight. How do you read? Over.

Roger. Bermuda Flight, reading you loud and clear.

Switch wobulator switch off.

Roger. Phase shifter.

Mark!

Phase shifter is off.

Phase shifter is on, now.

Aurora Seven, Cap Com. What control mode?

Fly-by-wire.

Thank you.

Bermuda Flight. How do you read?

Hello, Bermuda Flight. Reading you loud and clear. How me?

Will you run a blood pressure, please? Read you loud and clear.

Roger. Blood pressure starting now.

I have lost sight of the balloon at this minute.

Roger.

Also, Bermuda, the balloon not only oscillates in cones in pitch and yaw, it also seems to oscillate in and out toward the capsule; and sometimes the line will be taut, other times it's quite loose.

It's now about 50 degrees off of the flight path.

Pictures of whirls taken, just east of Bermuda, now the balloon line is tight.

At 01 45 30, I have turned the cabin, or the suit-water valve all the way off and back up to one.

I'm taping now the fuel quantity warning lights in preparation for the dark side. I think also excess cabin water I'll tape. It's not a satisfactory lighting arrangement to …

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

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

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

Roger. You're coming into UHF range. Proceed with the short report. Over.

Roger, Canary. My status is good; the capsule status is good; my control mode is automatic; gyros normal; maneuver off. Fuel 51-68 [percent], oxygen 85-100 [percent]; my cabin steam vent temperature now is picking up and reading about 19, suit steam vent temperature still reading 70 [degrees]. I have backed it off to zero and reset it at one. Over.

. . . cabin exhaust temperature. Over.

Cabin exhaust temperature is climbing back up to 19. Over.

Roger. Have you been doing any drifting flight? Over.

That is Roger. I did quite a bit of drifting flight on the dark side over Woomera and Canton. Over.

Roger. Did you observe any haze layers? Over.

Roger, I did observe haze layers but not the ones that were separated from the horizon that we expected, and that John reported. I'll keep a sharp lookout next time and try to see them after sunset. On the light side there is nothing more than the bright, iridescent blue layer, which separates the actual horizon from the deep black of space. Over.

Aurora Seven, you are fading rapidly. You are fading. MCC [Mercury Control Center] is worried about your auto fuel and manual fuel consumption. They recommend that you try to conserve your fuel.

Roger. Tell them I am concerned also. I will try and conserve fuel.

Aurora Seven, Aurora Seven, I cannot read you. Do you read Canary Cap Com? Over.

Roger. Canary, copied your message. Over.

Roger. Understand copied message regarding fuel and consumption.

That is Roger.

Surgeon here has requested a blood-pressure transmission.

Blood pressure is coming your way now.

We are receiving same at Canaries and it looks good.

Roger.