Spacelog Mercury 7

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

Roger.

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

Roger. Go ahead, Hawaii.

Is your maneuver switch off?

The maneuver switch is off.

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

Roger. One moment.

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

Roger.

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

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

Roger. Standing by.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Say again, say again.

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

What light was on?

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

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

Okay. Go through it, Jim.

Roger. Jim, go through the checklist for me.

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

Roll, yaw, and pitch are in.

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?

Roger. It's complete.

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.

Aurora Seven. Did you copy?

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

Roger. We concur. About 30 seconds to go.

About 10 seconds on my mark.

Roger.

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

Retrosequence is green.

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

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

Gyros are off.

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

Roger.

4, 3, 2, 1, 0.

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

—-on reentry, unless ASCS holds you in reentry attitude.

Yes, it can. I'll have to do it with manual.

Roger. Recommend you try Aux Damp first; if it's not working, then go to fly-by-wire.

Okay, I'll have to do that.

The balloon is gone [out of sight]. I am apparently out of manual fuel. I have to go to fly-by-wire to stop this tumbling.

Roger. Using fly-by-wire to stop tumbling.

Aurora Seven. Understand RSCS did not work.

I am out of manual fuel, Al.

Roger.

.05 g should be when?

Oh, you have plenty of time. It should be 04 44 elapsed time

Roger.

You have plenty of time. Take your time on fly-by-wire to get into reentry attitude.

Roger.

I was just looking over your reentry checklist. Looks like you're in pretty good shape. You'll have to manually retract the scope.

No. I didn't. The scope did come in, Al.

Roger. I didn't get that. Very good.

How are you doing on reentry attitude? Over.

Stowing a few things first. I don't know yet. Take a while.

Okay.

Going to be tight on fuel.

Roger You have plenty of time; you have about 7 minutes before .05 g so take . . .

Roger.

Okay. I can make out very, very small—farm land, pasture land below. I see individual fields, rivers, lakes, roads, I think. I'll get back to reentry attitude.

Roger Seven, recommend you get close to reentry attitude, using as little fuel as possible and stand by on fly-by-wire until rates develop. Over.

Roger. Will do.

Seven, this is California. We're losing you now. Stand by for Cape.

Aurora Seven, Cape Cap Com. Over.

Hello Cape Cap Com, Aurora Seven. Loud and clear.

Aurora Seven, Cape Cap Com. Over.

Hello, Cape Cap Com. Go ahead.

Roger. Do you have your face, faceplate closed?

Negative. It is now. Thank you.

Roger. Give me your fuel, please.

Fuel is 15 [percent] auto. I'm indicating 7 [percent] manual, but it is empty and ineffective.

Roger. You have a few minutes to start of blackout.

Two minutes, you say?

Aurora Seven, Cap Com.

Go ahead, Cap Com.