Spacelog Mercury 8

You were right.

It's kind of hard to describe all this, isn't it John?

Yeah, it sure is, Wally. Can't describe it.

No,—real, real thrill.

Too bad you're all socked in.I hope to see you pretty soon though.

Haven't even looked outside.

Ha, Ha, Ha. That was my problem when you were going over.

I guess you heard my yaw reticle is working out very well.

Yeah, that's real good. Glad to hear it.

I definitely did detect some fogging on the window from the tower rocket, John.

Roger, got that. Some fogging on the window from the rocket.

Yeah.

I'm gonna try your idea on pitch technique here for drifting. I think that'll be fun.

Say again, Wally, didn't get it.

I'11 try your technique on the drifting period for this orbit by using—I think that will be a lot of fun. I just had a hole out here with an island. Looks like that might have been San Clemente, I'm not sure. Yeah, I'm over land now.

Roger.

I'm getting a good sight of the U.S.A. We just got the typical California fog belt behind me and looks like I'm getting a watch at the Salton Sea, I believe.

Roger. That's where Scott and I both picked up loud and clear over here. Seems to be always clear back in there.

Yeah, just as soon as you get over the ridge line.

I don't see anybody water skiing today. Is it cold?

Not that cold.

Ha, Ha, Ha.

That's about as far north as I can see is the Salton Sea. You get a real good look at Baja California. And I probably can see Guaymas loud and clear, the way it seems.

Looks like you have pretty good visibility today, if you see all that area.

Yeah, I can see just about as far as the Salton Sea north. I can see the Mt. Whitney area, but not much of it for the snow capped peaks that are just about on the horizon now.

Right.

And I can see with a little craning, around almost the southern tip of the Baja peninsula.

Sounds like you've got a real good view today with not much cloud cover up there over a lot of it.

No, just the coast is all that's socked in. The rest of it's CAVU (clear and visibility unlimited). As long as I get some ASCS time I can look. I've got some roads down here that are pretty obvious to me right on the flight path. I'm really talking to you for a long way, John.

Cape Cap Com, Sigma Seven.

Cape Cap Com, Sigma Seven.

Muchea Com, correction—Guaymas, Sigma Seven.

Roger. Go ahead Sigma Seven.

Okay, Scott, things are going real well up here. Gonna get a grip on that coolant system, and your comment was very valid. If a guy has time, he can usually work it out.

Roger, Wally, you faded out at the last. Understand everything is good up there, you have another good trip.

Right, I think I had a good look at your station going over.

Sigma Seven, Sigma Seven. Cape Cap Com.

Roger, Deke. I'm on push-to-talk at this time. How do you read? Over.

Roger. Reading you 5 by.

Roger, this is UHF-hi.

Roger.

Going to VOX.

Cape Cap Com, Sigma Seven. On VOX

Roger. You're good on VOX.

Okay. I'm sending you one. Control mode is ASCS; auto retro; gyros normal; maneuver off. All systems are green. I'll give you a readout on the domes here, if you'd like.

Cape Cap Com. Sigma Seven.

Sigma Seven. Cape Cap Com.

Did you read the report?

I read the report. Awaiting the dome temperature particularly suit.

Okay. Suit dome is 70 (degrees). Cabin dome is 45 (degrees). That blasted cabin heat exchanger is 40 (degrees). Suit inlet is 62 (degrees), and I'm very comfortable.

Excellent.

Are you ready for me to make a power down yet?

Very good. Would you give us all three inverter temperatures at your leisure.

Okay. I'll give you those, and then I'll power down.

Roger.

250 is 143 (degrees). It's gone up about 2 degrees in the last 40 minutes. The 150 is about 105 (degrees). The standby is about, ha, 110 (degrees) I'd say. A little warmer.

Roger.

And the retro heaters, the retropackage temperature is about 74 (degrees), and it's stayed there almost all this time.

Roger. That's very good.

Okay. I'm gonna go into a power down.

Roger. Understand.

I'll give a readout on how I do it. Selecting fly-by-wire. Going to gyros caged. Judging gyros caged. I'm going to 0.

Roger.

Going to ASCS bus, turning it off, and that's 0 volts. And am I clear to kill my beacon?

Affirmative.

Okay. Beacon off. The rates are . . ..

Hit your blood pressure stop button, we're still getting BP.

Yeah, instead of getting asked for it, I'm gotta asked to stop it now.

That's a welcome changeover.

There go the beacons off.

Roger.

I caught your Z Cal. Okay, the rates are nice and zeroing. I'm going back to normal position instead of fly-by-wire.

Roger.

Gyros are caged, and the VOX is off. I'm going to select reentry for the attitude, so I got that set up for the powering-up procedure.

Very good.

Okay, I've got fly-by-wire low, and the normal on the ASCS mode, auto, gyros caged, maneuver is still off. And the bea—and the beacons are off. Here she's cruising along very happily.

Very good. Are you ready for a (contingency recovery area) 3-C retro (time)?

Say again.

Are you ready for your 3-C retro time?

I'm sorry. You're very garbled.

Are you ready for your 3 Charlie retro time?

Okay. I'll try to get it from you, Deke. I—you're garbled, say them very slowly.

03 39 36.

Okay. You came in loud and clear.

All righty.