Spacelog Mercury 7

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.

Canary Systems indicates all telemetry readings look good.

Roger. That's good to hear.

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

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.

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

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

Hello.

This is Kano. How do you read? Over.

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

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

Hello Kano. Loud and clear. How me?

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

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

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

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.

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

Roger. Blood pressure is on the air.

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

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].

Are you perspiring any?

Slightly, on my forehead.

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].

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.

Roger, I feel fine.

Can you see anything of the Gulf of Guinea?

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

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

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

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

Roger.

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

Say again, Kano.

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

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.

Roger. Understand. Over.

Have you started your night adaptation? Over.

Roger

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

Say again, please.

… Over.

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

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.

Things are very quiet.

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

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

Roger. Loud and clear. How me, Zanzibar?

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

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.

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

Roger: I have them.

Very good. Are you going to start your balloon test?

The balloon is out. I don't see any reason for not leaving it on through the dark side, and I just saw a particle going by at about 2 or 3 feet per second.

Roger, understand. According to flight plan, you're supposed to go to FBW about now, and he says you're on auto mode and I wondered if you plan to go through with this. Over.

That is negative. I think that the fact that I'm low on fuel dictates that I stay on auto as long as the fuel consumption on automatic is not excessive. Over.

Roger, Aurora Seven. Congratulations on your trip so far and I'm glad everything has gone …

Thank you very much.

I now have the wide, blue horizon band. It looks to be, at this time Capsule elapsed 02 0700, to be about the diameter underneath the sun. It seems to be the same thickness underneath the sun as the sun's diameter. North and south it becomes less distinct and lighter. It extends up farther from the horizon.

Roger, Aurora Seven. That's a hard one to pronounce, anything that we can do for you …

Negative. I think everything is going quite well.

Roger, We'll be waiting. Out.

Roger. See you next time.

Aurora Seven, this is Indian Ocean Ship. Over.