Spacelog Mercury 7

Just wanted to hear from you.

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.

. . . checklist.

Yes. We're in good shape for stowage.

Aurora Seven, have you completed your reentry …

Roger.

Check.

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.

Roger.

Will give you some more as soon as we get an IP.

Roger.

Aurora Seven, Cap Com. Will you check your glove compartment and make sure it's latched and your …

Roger, it's tight.

Rog.

Starting into blackout anytime now.

Roger.

Roger. We show you still have some manual fuel left.

Yes, but I can't get anything out of it.

Roger.

Aurora Seven, Cap Com. Do you still read?

Roger. Loud and clear.

I don't have a roll rate in yet. I'll put some in when I begin to get the g buildup.

I only was reading 0.5 g's on the accelerometer. Okay, here come some rates.

I've got the orange glow. I assume we're in blackout now. Gus, give me a try. There goes something tearing away.

Okay. I'm setting in a roll rate at this time.

Going to Aux Damp.

I hope we have enough fuel. I get the orange glow at this time.

Bright orange glow.

Picking up just a little acceleration now.

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.

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.

Oh, I hope not.

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.

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].

Oscillations are pretty good. I think ASCS has given up the ghost at this point. Emergency drogue fuse switch is on.

. . .

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.