Mercury 7 transcript starting at 04 33 31 on Spacelog

Load previous…

04 33 31
Scott Carpenter: Okay, I think they held well, Al. The—I think they were good. I can't tell you what was wrong about them because the gyros were not quite right. But retrojettison—3 fuse switches are on.
04 33 51
CAPCOM: Roger. We should have retrojettison in about 10 seconds.
04 33 55
Scott Carpenter: Roger.
04 33 56
Scott Carpenter: That was a nice gentle bump. All three have fired. Retroattitude was red.
04 34 05
CAPCOM: Roger. Should have retrojettison now.
04 34 10
Scott Carpenter: Ah, right then at 34 10, on time.
04 34 15
CAPCOM: Roger. How much fuel do you have left both tanks?
04 34 19
Scott Carpenter: I have 20 and 5 [percent].
04 34 23
CAPCOM: Roger. I guess we'd better use—
04 34 26
Scott Carpenter: I'll use manual.
04 34 27
CAPCOM: —-on reentry, unless ASCS holds you in reentry attitude.
04 34 31
Scott Carpenter: Yes, it can. I'll have to do it with manual.
04 34 39
CAPCOM: Roger. Recommend you try Aux Damp first; if it's not working, then go to fly-by-wire.
04 34 45
Scott Carpenter: Okay, I'll have to do that.
04 34 53
Scott Carpenter: 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.
Note: Tumbling here refers to low rates of all axes; however, the spacecraft was returned to proper attitude by the pilot before it had made 1/4 revolution.
04 35 13
CAPCOM: Roger. Using fly-by-wire to stop tumbling.
04 35 24
CAPCOM: Aurora Seven. Understand RSCS did not work.
04 35 27
Scott Carpenter: I am out of manual fuel, Al.
04 35 31
CAPCOM: Roger.
04 35 34
Scott Carpenter: .05 g should be when?
04 35 37
CAPCOM: Oh, you have plenty of time. It should be 04 44 elapsed time
04 35 45
Scott Carpenter: Roger.
04 35 46
CAPCOM: You have plenty of time. Take your time on fly-by-wire to get into reentry attitude.
04 35 50
Scott Carpenter: Roger.
04 36 05
CAPCOM: I was just looking over your reentry checklist. Looks like you're in pretty good shape. You'll have to manually retract the scope.
04 36 14
Scott Carpenter: No. I didn't. The scope did come in, Al.
04 36 18
CAPCOM: Roger. I didn't get that. Very good.
04 36 29
CAPCOM: How are you doing on reentry attitude? Over.
04 36 32
Scott Carpenter: Stowing a few things first. I don't know yet. Take a while.
04 36 46
Scott Carpenter: Okay.
04 36 54
Scott Carpenter: Going to be tight on fuel.
04 37 02
CAPCOM: Roger You have plenty of time; you have about 7 minutes before .05 g so take . . .
04 37 10
Scott Carpenter: Roger.
04 37 28
Scott Carpenter: 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.
04 37 39
CAPCOM: 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.
04 37 50
Scott Carpenter: Roger. Will do.
04 38 03
CAPCOM: Seven, this is California. We're losing you now. Stand by for Cape.
04 38 08
Scott Carpenter: Roger.
04 40 50
CAPCOM: Aurora Seven, Cape Cap Com. Over.
04 40 52
Scott Carpenter: Hello Cape Cap Com, Aurora Seven. Loud and clear.
04 41 08
CAPCOM: Aurora Seven, Cape Cap Com. Over.
04 41 10
Scott Carpenter: Hello, Cape Cap Com. Go ahead.
04 41 12
CAPCOM: Roger. Do you have your face, faceplate closed?
04 41 16
Scott Carpenter: Negative. It is now. Thank you.
04 41 18
CAPCOM: Roger. Give me your fuel, please.
04 41 20
Scott Carpenter: Fuel is 15 [percent] auto. I'm indicating 7 [percent] manual, but it is empty and ineffective.
04 41 27
CAPCOM: Roger. You have a few minutes to start of blackout.
04 41 33
Scott Carpenter: Two minutes, you say?
04 41 49
CAPCOM: Aurora Seven, Cap Com.
04 41 50
Scott Carpenter: Go ahead, Cap Com.
Expand selection up Contract selection down Close
04 41 52
CAPCOM: Just wanted to hear from you.
04 41 54
Scott Carpenter: Roger. It's going to be real tight on fuel, Gus. I've got the horizon in view now. Trying to keep rates very low. I just lost part of the balloon. The string from the balloon.
04 42 10
CAPCOM: . . . checklist.
04 42 12
Scott Carpenter: Yes. We're in good shape for stowage.
04 42 18
CAPCOM: Aurora Seven, have you completed your reentry …
04 42 20
Scott Carpenter: Roger.
04 42 22
CAPCOM: Check.
04 42 28
CAPCOM: The weather in the recovery area is good. You've got overcast cloud; 3-foot waves; 8 knots of wind; 10 miles visibility; and the cloud bases are at 1,000 feet.
04 42 39
Scott Carpenter: Roger.
04 42 45
CAPCOM: Will give you some more as soon as we get an IP.
04 42 47
Scott Carpenter: Roger.
04 43 05
CAPCOM: Aurora Seven, Cap Com. Will you check your glove compartment and make sure it's latched and your …
04 43 10
Scott Carpenter: Roger, it's tight.
04 43 12
CAPCOM: Rog.
04 43 16
CAPCOM: Starting into blackout anytime now.
04 43 18
Scott Carpenter: Roger.
04 43 21
CAPCOM: Roger. We show you still have some manual fuel left.
04 43 24
Scott Carpenter: Yes, but I can't get anything out of it.
04 43 28
CAPCOM: Roger.
04 43 40
CAPCOM: Aurora Seven, Cap Com. Do you still read?
04 43 42
Scott Carpenter: Roger. Loud and clear.
04 43 52
Scott Carpenter: I don't have a roll rate in yet. I'll put some in when I begin to get the g buildup.
04 44 07
Scott Carpenter: I only was reading 0.5 g's on the accelerometer. Okay, here come some rates.
04 44 28
Scott Carpenter: I've got the orange glow. I assume we're in blackout now. Gus, give me a try. There goes something tearing away.
04 44 52
Scott Carpenter: Okay. I'm setting in a roll rate at this time.
04 45 06
Scott Carpenter: Going to Aux Damp.
04 45 13
Scott Carpenter: I hope we have enough fuel. I get the orange glow at this time.
04 45 30
Scott Carpenter: Bright orange glow.
04 45 43
Scott Carpenter: Picking up just a little acceleration now.
04 46 17
Scott Carpenter: Not much glow: just a little. Reading 0.5 g. Aux Damp seems to be doing well My fuel, I hope, holds out. There is 1 g. Getting a few streamers of smoke out behind. There's some green flashes out there.
04 47 02
Scott Carpenter: Reentry is going pretty well. Aux Damp seems to be keeping oscillations pretty good. We're at 1 1/2 g's now. There was a large flaming piece coming off. Almost looked like it came off the tower.
Note: Tower here refers to cylindrical section of the spacecraft.
04 47 36
Scott Carpenter: Oh, I hope not.
04 47 47
Scott Carpenter: Okay. We're reading 3 g's, think we'll have to let the reentry damping check go this time. Reading now 4 g's. The reentry seems to be going okay. The rates there that Aux Damp appears to be handling. I don't think I'm oscillating too much; seem to be rolling right around that glow—the sky behind. Auto fuel still reads 14 (percent) at 6.5 g's. Rates are holding to within 1 1/2 degrees per second indicating about 10 degrees per second roll rate. Still peaked at 6.8 g's. The orange glow has disappeared now. We're off peak g. Still indicating 14 [percent] auto fuel; back to 5 g's.
Expand selection down Contract selection up
04 49 18
Scott Carpenter: And I'm standing by for altimeter off the peg. Cape, do you read yet? Altimeter is off the peg. 100 [1,000] ft., rate of descent is coming down, cabin pressure is—cabin pressure is holding okay. Still losing a few streaming. No, that's shock waves. Smoke pouring out behind. Getting ready for the drogue at 45 [1,000 ft].
04 49 58
Scott Carpenter: Oscillations are pretty good. I think ASCS has given up the ghost at this point. Emergency drogue fuse switch is on.
04 50 20
?: . . .
04 50 29
Scott Carpenter: Roger. Aurora Seven, reading okay. Getting some pretty good oscillations now and we're out of fuel. Looks from the sun like it might be about 45 degrees. Oww, it's coming like—it's really going over.
04 50 51
Scott Carpenter: Think I'd better take a try on the drogue. Drogue out manually at 25 [1,000 ft.]. It's holding and it was just in time. Main deploy fuse switch is on now, 21 [1,000 ft.] indicated [altitude].
04 51 12
Scott Carpenter: Snorkle override now. Emergency flow rate on. Emergency main fuse switch at 15 [1,000 ft.], standing by for the main chute at 10 [1,000 ft.].
04 51 33
Scott Carpenter: Cabin pressure, cabin altimeter agree on altitude. Should be 13,000 [feet] now. Mark 10; I see the main is out, and reefed, and it looks good to me. The main chute is out. Landing bag goes to auto now. The drogue has fallen away. I see a perfect chute, visor open. Cabin temperature is only 110 [degrees] at this point. Helmet hose is off.
04 52 39
Scott Carpenter: Does anybody read. Does anybody read Aurora Seven? Over.
04 52 54
Scott Carpenter: Hello, any Mercury recovery force. Does anyone read Aurora Seven? Over.
04 53 04
CAPCOM: Aurora Seven, Aurora Seven, Cape Cap Com. Over.
04 53 07
Scott Carpenter: Roger. Say again. You're very weak.
04 53 13
CAPCOM: Aurora Seven, Aurora Seven, Cape Cap Com. Over.
04 53 16
Scott Carpenter: Roger. I'm reading you. I'm on the main chute at 5,000 [feet]. Status is good. I am not in contact with any recovery forces. Do you have any information on the recovery time? Over.
04 54 14
Scott Carpenter: Hello, any Mercury recovery forces. How do you read Aurora Seven? Over.
04 54 27
CAPCOM: Aurora Seven, Cape Cap Com. Over.
04 54 29
Scott Carpenter: Roger. Loud and clear. Aurora Seven reading the Cape. Loud and clear. How me, Gus?
04 54 41
Scott Carpenter: Gus, how do you read?

Spacelog Mercury 7