Scott Carpenter

The line is still not taut. I have some pictures of the line just waving out in back. I would say we have about a one-cycle-per-minute oscillation. It's both in pitch and yaw.

CAPCOM

How many cycles per minute?

Scott Carpenter

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

Scott Carpenter

The moon is just above the horizon at this time.

Scott Carpenter

I have a picture of the balloon.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, Cap Com. Repeat your last message.

Scott Carpenter

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

Flight

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

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Bermuda Flight, reading you loud and clear.

Flight

Switch wobulator switch off.

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Phase shifter.

Scott Carpenter

Phase shifter is off.

Scott Carpenter

Phase shifter is on, now.

CC (Cape)

Aurora Seven, Cap Com. What control mode?

CC (Cape)

Thank you.

Flight

Bermuda Flight. How do you read?

Scott Carpenter

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

Flight

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

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Blood pressure starting now.

Scott Carpenter

I have lost sight of the balloon at this minute.

Scott Carpenter

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.

Scott Carpenter

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

Scott Carpenter

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

Scott Carpenter

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

Scott Carpenter

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 …

Scott Carpenter

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

CAPCOM

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

Scott Carpenter

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

CAPCOM

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

Scott Carpenter

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.

CAPCOM

. . . cabin exhaust temperature. Over.

Scott Carpenter

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

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CAPCOM

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

Scott Carpenter

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

CAPCOM

Roger. Did you observe any haze layers? Over.

Scott Carpenter

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.

CAPCOM

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.

Scott Carpenter

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

CAPCOM

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

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Canary, copied your message. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger. Understand copied message regarding fuel and consumption.

CAPCOM

Surgeon here has requested a blood-pressure transmission.

Scott Carpenter

Blood pressure is coming your way now.

CAPCOM

We are receiving same at Canaries and it looks good.

CAPCOM

Canary Systems indicates all telemetry readings look good.

Scott Carpenter

Roger. That's good to hear.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, do you have anything to report on your balloon test? Over.

Scott Carpenter

Roger. The balloon is oscillating through an arc of about 100 degrees. It gets out of view frequently. At this moment, it's nearly vertical. Mark a coastal passage at this time—it seems to—what I'm trying to tell you is that it oscillates 180 degrees, above and below. Over.

Scott Carpenter

It also oscillates in and out. Sometimes the line is tight and other times it is not.

Scott Carpenter

When I look over to the right side, I have the sensation that—

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Spoken on May 24, 1962, 2:34 p.m. UTC (62 years, 6 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

CAPCOM

This is Kano. How do you read? Over.

Scott Carpenter

Hello, Kano. Aurora Seven. Loud and clear. How me?

CAPCOM

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

Scott Carpenter

Hello Kano. Loud and clear. How me?

CAPCOM

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

Scott Carpenter

Kano, this is Aurora Seven. Reading you loud and clear. How me?

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, Kano Cap Com. What is your status? Over.

Scott Carpenter

Roger. My status is good; fuel reads 51 [percent] and—and 69 [percent]; oxygen is 84 [percent] and 100 [percent]; cabin pressure is holding good. All d-c and a-c power is good. The only thing of—to report regarding the flight plan is that fuel levels are lower than expected. My control mode now is ASCS. I expended my extra fuel in trying to orient after the night side. I think this is due to conflicting requirements of the flight plan. I should have taken time to orient and then work with other items. I think that by remaining in automatic, I can keep—stop this excessive fuel consumption. And the balloon is sometimes visible and sometimes not visible. I haven't any idea where it is now, and there doesn't seem to—and it seems to wander with abandon back and forth, and that's all, Kano.

CAPCOM

Roger, Aurora Seven. Will you give us a blood-pressure check again—. Over.

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Blood pressure is on the air.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, how are you feeling? Your body temperature is up somewhat. How do you feel? Over.

Scott Carpenter

Roger. I feel fine. Last time around I—someone told me it was 102 [degrees]. I don't feel, you know, like I'm that hot. Cabin temperature is 101 [degrees]. I'm reading 101 [degrees], and the suit temperature indicates 74 [degrees].

CAPCOM

Are you perspiring any?

Scott Carpenter

Slightly, on my forehead.

Scott Carpenter

Since turning down the suit water valve, the suit steam vent temperature has climbed slightly—am increasing from one to two at this time. This should bring it down. The cabin steam vent temperature has built back up to 40 [degrees].

CAPCOM

Roger, Aurora Seven, everything looks okay now. We seem to have lost the body temperature readings from previous stations. We are reading 102 [degrees] right now, but as long as you feel okay right now.

Scott Carpenter

Roger, I feel fine.

CAPCOM

Can you see anything of the Gulf of Guinea?

Scott Carpenter

Roger. I just—just passed the coastline, and I am over a solid cloud cover at this time

CAPCOM

Roger, Aurora Seven. Would you care to send a greeting to the people of Nigeria?

Scott Carpenter

Roger, please send my greetings and best wishes of me and my countrymen to all Africans. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger. Thank you very much. I'm sure it will be appreciated. Over.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, Kano. Are we still in contact? Over.

CAPCOM

Roger. Would you repeat in a few words why you thought the fuel usage was great? Over.

Scott Carpenter

I expended it on—by manual and fly-by-wire thruster operation on the dark side, and just approaching sunrise. I think that I can cut down the fuel consumption considerably on the second and third orbits. Over.

CAPCOM

Roger. Understand. Over.

CAPCOM

Have you started your night adaptation? Over.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, Kano. Just for your own information, the 250 inverter is on 180 degrees right now. Over.

Scott Carpenter

Say again, please.

Scott Carpenter

At this time, oh-oh, this doggone food bag is a problem.

Scott Carpenter

Actually, the food bag is not a problem, the food inside it is. It's crumbled. I dare not open the bag for fear the crumbs will get all through the capsule.

Scott Carpenter

Things are very quiet.

Scott Carpenter

Roger: Zanzibar. Loud and clear. How do you read Aurora Seven?

Comm Tech

Aurora Seven, Aurora Seven, this is Zanzibar Com Tech, transmitting on HF/UHF. Do you copy? Over.

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Loud and clear. How me, Zanzibar?

Comm Tech

Auroral Seven, Aurora Seven, this is Zanzibar Cap Com. Read you weak, but readable. Do you have a short report for us?

Scott Carpenter

Roger. My status is good; the capsule status is good; my control mode is automatic; gyros are normal; maneuver is off. Control fuel is 51 [percent] and 69 [percent]; oxygen is 82 [percent] and 100 [percent]. That's about all except I have, so far, been unable to get my suit steam vent temperature down much below 70 [degrees]. Steam vent, or the water control valve, setting at this time is 4 at the prelaunch mark. It may be too high. Turning it off at this time and going to three, which is where the cabin is set. Over.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, Zanzibar Cap Com. Roger, Roger. Do you have the latest—contingency area times?

Scott Carpenter

Roger: I have them.