Phase 3: Reentry & splashdown

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Copy. Going into orbit attitude at this time.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, Hawaii Cap Com. Do you read me? Over.

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Go ahead, Hawaii.

CAPCOM

Is your maneuver switch off?

Scott Carpenter

The maneuver switch is off.

CAPCOM

Roger. Are you ready to start your pre-retrosequence checklist?

Scott Carpenter

Roger. One moment.

Scott Carpenter

I'm alining my attitudes. Everything is fine. I have part of the stowage checklist taken care of at this time.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, do you wish me to read out any of the checklist to you?

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Let me get the stowage and then you can help me with the pre-retrograde.

CAPCOM

Roger. Standing by.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven, can we get on with the checklist? We have approximately 3 minutes left of contact.

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Go ahead with the checklist. I'm coming to retroattitude now and my control mode is automatic and my attitudes-standby. Wait a minute, I have a problem in.

Scott Carpenter

I have an ASCS problem here. I think ASCS is not operating properly. Let me— Emergency retrosequence is armed and retro manual is armed. I've got to evaluate this retro—this ASCS problem, Jim, before we go any further.

CAPCOM

Roger. Standing by. Make sure your emergency drogue deploy and emergency main fuses are off.

Scott Carpenter

Roger. They are. Okay, I'm going now to fly-by-wire, to Aux Damp, and now—attitudes do not agree. Five minutes to retrograde; light is on. I have a rate of descent, too, of about 10, 12 feet per second.

CAPCOM

Say again, say again.

Scott Carpenter

I have a rate of descent of about 12 feet per second.

CAPCOM

What light was on?

Scott Carpenter

Yes, I am back on fly-by-wire, trying to orient.

CAPCOM

Scott, let's try and get some of this retrosequence list checked off before you get to California.

Scott Carpenter

Okay. Go through it, Jim.

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Jim, go through the checklist for me.

CAPCOM

Roger. Squib switch armed; auto retrojettison switch off; gyros normal; manual handle out; roll, yaw and pitch handles in.

Scott Carpenter

Roll, yaw, and pitch are in.

CAPCOM

Retroattitude auto; retract scope auto; maneuver switch off; periscope lever up; UHF-Hi power; transmit on UHF; beacon continuous; VOX power on transmit and record; all batteries checked. Do you copy?

Scott Carpenter

Roger. It's complete.

CAPCOM

Transmitting in the blind. We have LOS. Ground elapsed time is on my mark, 4 hours 29 minutes and 30 seconds. Transmitting in the blind to Aurora Seven. Make sure all your tone switches are on; your warning lights are bright; the retro manual fuse switch is on; the retrojettison fuse switch is off. Check your faceplate and make sure that it is closed.

CAPCOM

Aurora Seven. Did you copy?

Scott Carpenter

Roger. Copied all; I think we're in good shape. I'm not sure just what the status of the ASCS is at this time.

Comm Tech

Aurora Seven, Aurora Seven, this is California Com Tech, California Com Tech. Do you hear? Over.

Scott Carpenter

Hello, California Com Tech. Loud and clear. How me?

Comm Tech

I'm reading you loud and clear also. Stand by for Cap Com.

CAPCOM

Seven, this is Cap Com. Are you in retroattitude?

Scott Carpenter

Yes, I don't have agreement with ASCS in the window, Al. I think I'm going to have to go to fly-by-wire and use the window and the scope. ASCS is bad. I'm on fly-by-wire and manual.

CAPCOM

Roger. We concur. About 30 seconds to go.

CAPCOM

About 10 seconds on my mark.

CAPCOM

6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Scott Carpenter

Retrosequence is green.

CAPCOM

Roger. Check ASCS quickly to see if orientation mode will hold.

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Spoken on May 24, 1962, 5:17 p.m. UTC (62 years, 4 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

CAPCOM

If your gyros are off, you'll have to use attitude bypass.

CAPCOM

But you'll have to use attitude bypass and manual override.

CAPCOM

4, 3, 2, 1, 0.

Scott Carpenter

Okay. Fire 1, fire 2, and fire 3. I had to punch off manually. I have a little bit of smoke in the capsule.

CAPCOM

Attitudes hold, Scotty.