- Scott Carpenter
-
I will not cage until after I get rid of the balloon, and then I can start a slow yaw to the left to pick it off the stop.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Roger. Control mode, manual; gyros normal; the maneuver switch is off. Fuel is 45-45 [percent]; oxygen is 70 [percent], or, correction, oxygen is 80 and 100 [percent]. Suit temperature is 68 [degrees], now and coming down pretty well. Suit steam vent temperature is 69 [degrees], and beginning to be a little more comfortable. Over.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Yes, it has a random drift. There is no oscillation that I can predict whatsoever. The—the line leading to the balloon sometimes is tight; sometimes is loose—loose enough, so that there are loops in it. Its—its behaviour is strictly random as far as I can tell. The balloon is not inflated well either. It's an oblong shape out there, rather than a round figure; and I believe when the sun is on it, the day-glow orange is the most brilliant, and the silver. That's about all I can tell you, Gus.
- CAPCOM
-
Roger. Surgeon suggests that you drink as much water as you can. Drink it as often as you can.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Roger, suit is 7.5, cabin is about 10. That's 10 on the cabin and 5 on the inverters. Over.
- Scott Carpenter
-
That is Roger. And if I am to save fuel for retrosequence, I think I better start again. Over.
- Scott Carpenter
-
My control mode is now manual; gyros are caged, and I will allow the capsule to drift for a little while.
- CAPCOM
-
Roger, and John suggests you try to look back, towards the darkness, at sunrise to see those particles.
- Scott Carpenter
-
I am looking down almost vertically. It's possible to distinguish, I believe, four separate cloud layers.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Balloon—I'll maneuver enough to get the balloon out in trail so I can photograph its departure.
- CAPCOM
-
We're still fairly happy with your fuel state now. Don't let—we'd like for you not to let either get down below 40 percent.
- Scott Carpenter
-
I have the particles visible still. They're streaming aft, but in an arc of maybe a 120 or 130 degrees.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Roger, I have these particles drifting aft again, but they do not parallel the line to the balloon exactly. They drift aft within an arc of maybe 120 to 130 degrees.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Roger. At this moment, the fluid is all gathered around the standpipe; the standpipe appears to be full and the fluid outside the standpipe is about halfway up. There is a rather large meniscus. I'd say about 60° meniscus.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Roger. The standpipe is full of the fluid. The fluid is halfway up the outside of the standpipe—a rather large meniscus, on angle of about 60 degrees. Over.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Hello, hello, Canary Cap Com, Aurora Seven. Reading you loud and clear; HF. Transmitting HF. How do you read? Over.
- Scott Carpenter
-
These pictures of the—small groups of closely knit clouds are south of Canary, third orbit.
- Scott Carpenter
-
This must be crossing [Intertropical Convergence Zone] (ITCZ). I have never seen weather quite like this.
- CAPCOM
-
Aurora Seven, this is Canary Cap Com. We had no transmissions from you. This is Canary Islands, signing out.
- Scott Carpenter
-
I am going—I am in the record only position now. I think the best answer to the autokinesis—is that there is none. I noticed none—and I tend to aline the horizontal with my head—it—a horizontal line under zero g is a line parallel to the line drawn between your eyes. I don't get autokinesis. I don't get—now wait a minute, maybe I'm beginning to.
- Scott Carpenter
-
I should remark that at 3 26 33, I have.in the sky, at any time, 10 particles. They no doubt appear to glow to me. They appeared to be little pieces of frost. However. some appear to be way, way far away. There are two—that look like they might be a 100 yards away. I haven't operated the thruster not for some time. Here are two in closer. Now a densiometer reading on these that are in close. Extinct at 5.5, the elapsed time is 3 27 39. I am unable to see any stars in the black sky at this time. However, these little snowflakes are clearly visible.
- Scott Carpenter
-
The cabin temperature has dropped considerable now, and the setting I have on the suit is 7.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Hello, hello, Kano Cap Com, Aurora Seven. Reading you loud and clear. How me?
Expand selection down Contract selection up - Scott Carpenter
-
I've noticed that every time I turn over to the right everything seems vertical, but I am upside down.
- Scott Carpenter
-
I could very easily come in from another planet, and feel that I am on my—on my back, and that earth is up above me, but that's sorta the way you feel when you come out of split S, or out of an Immelmann.
- CAPCOM
-
Keno on HF. If you read me, the surgeon requests that you take a blood-pressure check now, a blood-pressure check for the onboard record. Over.
- CAPCOM
-
Aurora Seven, Aurora Seven, this is Kano Cap Com. If you read me, would you do a blood-pressure check for the onboard records. Over.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Okay. I'm taking the—I've taken the big back off; going to record only, at this time. Have taken the big back off of the camera and trying to get some more MIT film at this time. The filter is in. The cassette—is in the camera.
- Scott Carpenter
-
The zero g senta sensations are wonderful. This is the first time I've ever worn this suit and had it comfortable.
- Scott Carpenter
-
I don't know which way I'm pointed, and don't particularly care.
- Note
In paper 7, Astronaut Carpenter is quoted as follows: "Times when the gyros were caged and nothing was visible out the window, I had no idea where the earth was in relation to the spacecraft. However, it did not seem important to me. I knew at all times that I had only to wait and the earth would again appear in the window."
- Scott Carpenter
-
Roger. At this time I am hearing Kano calling for a blood-pressure check. I will give it to him now. Let's see, I have fuel 45-43, still would like to get just a little rate—just a little one.
- Scott Carpenter
-
I'm taking many MIT pictures, at capsule elapsed [time] 03 38 38. It will be the only chance we have. I might as well use up all the film.
- CAPCOM
-
Aurora Seven, this is Indian Cap Com. I did not read all of your transmission, but the part I monitored was loud and clear. Go ahead.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Roger. My status is good, the capsule status is good. I am in drifting flight on manual control. Gyros are caged. The fuel reads 45-42 [percent], oxygen 79-100 [percent]. Steam vent temperatures both read 65 [degrees] now; suit temperature has gone down nicely. It is now 62 [degrees], and all the power is good. The blood pressure is starting at this time. I've just finished taking some MIT pictures, and that is all I have to report at this time.
- CAPCOM
-
Roger, Aurora Seven. I copy your control mode manual; gyro caged; fuel 45-42 [percent]; oxygen 79-100 [percent]; and I did not hear the last part of your transmission. How do—
- Scott Carpenter
-
Roger. My status is good; the suit temperature has reduced considerably; steam vent temperatures now read 69 [degrees] on cabin and suit, suit temperature is 62 [degrees], and cabin temperature is 101 [degrees]. Over.
- CAPCOM
-
Roger. Suit temperature 62 [degrees], and cabin temperature 101 [degrees]. Your blood pressure is starting—and understand you are on the manual. Understand also you are drifting for awhile.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Also another departure from the plan is the fact that I have been unable to jettison the balloon. The balloon is still attached—should be no problem.
- CAPCOM
-
Aurora Seven, this is Indian Cap Com. All our retrosequence times are nominal. Do you want me to call them out to you? Over.
- CAPCOM
-
Aurora Seven, your last transcription was unreadable. You are fading badly, although intermittently. I will read retrosequence times in the blind. Area 3 Delta, 04 12 32, 04 12 32; Echo 04 22 27; 3 Echo 04 22 27; and the last . . . we have is 04 32 26… now and your capsule clock is still within 1 second.
- Scott Carpenter
-
The sunsets are most spectacular. The earth is black after the sun has set. The earth is black; the first band close to the earth is red, the next is yellow; the next is blue; the next is green; and the next is sort of a—sort of a purple. It's almost like a very brilliant rainbow. It extends at some
- CAPCOM
-
Indian Cap Com. Check you see about all colors between the horizon and the night sky. You seem to see more layers than Friendship Seven.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Roger. These layers extend from at least 90 degrees either side of the sun at sunset.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Roger. This bright horizon band extends at least 90° north and south of the position of the sunset.
- Scott Carpenter
-
Yes. I tried to release it over their station and was unable to do so. You might remind them that the balloon is still on.
- CAPCOM
-
Aurora Seven, Indian Cap Com. Your inverter temperatures are 183 [degrees] for the 150, and 195 [degrees] for the 250. All your other primaries check out okay on telemetry.
Spoken on May 24, 1962, 3:55 p.m. UTC (62 years, 6 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet