Spacelog Mercury 8

Wally, Cape seems to think you're in good shape also.

Roger. I feel fine. This old bird is really performing up here.

Good show.

Wally, give me a reading on your attitudes now.

Okay, I am rolled left about 7 degrees. Yaw right 2 degrees. Pitched up about 4 degrees.

Roger. Pitch up 4 degrees.

That's affirmative.

Roger.

We have a ± 5½ degree envelope on this one, Gus.

Roger.

She's tracking beautifully. I haven't had a thruster one problem. Really nice.

Roger. Give me your pitch attitude again, Wally. We don't agree with that.

Okay, I have an indicated (-) 30 degree pitch, and it checks with the window just about right on the button, Gus.

Okay, Roger. I misread you then.

I'm sorry I said + 4, I was going up from the retro mark which would probably confuse you.

Yes, you did,

I can imagine.

Okay, I'll read them out the way I see them instead of the way the SEDR (Service Engineering Department Report) boys do it. I'm getting the old fireflies again. I guess John is relieved. I haven't been looking for them—they're just there.

Okay.

They're just freebees. You can see some big ones and some little ones. They're almost impossible to photograph. Most of them are of a less magnitude than I'd say a good star. Every once in a while you see some of the big ones.

Do you see them close to you?

Oh, yeah, you can actually see relative motion, Gus. You can see them right by the window, then have them drifting way away. Looks like you see them way out because the velocity between you and fireflies is definite.

Roger. Wally, I think we're losing you. Will you stand by for California?

Sunrise over the West Coast. It is rather disappointing because it is just about socked in completely; smog and cloud conditions. I am seeing breaks as I approach the coast line. Someday, I'll get a flight across the Pacific without clouds underneath me.

The attitudes check out very well. No doubt about it. Yaw can be seen with the periscope. And it can be acquired very rapidly. It can also be seen through the window without any device.

Covering up the periscope again. Standing by for John.

Hello Sigma Seven, Cal Cap Com. Do you receive? Over.

Hi, there John. I read you loud and clear. How me?

Hello Sigma Seven, Cal Cap Com. Do you read?

Cal Cap Com, Sigma Seven. Loud and clear. How me?

Roger, loud and clear, Wally. Looks like things are leveling off pretty good up there. Looks like it's going fine now. You got a status report?

Yes sir. I'm real happy with this bird. I am in ASCS auto mode, retro attitude, I have gyros normal, maneuver off, all systems are green. I've got the suit circuit under control as you probably know by now, and a delightful report for one John Glenn. I do see fireflies.

Good boy.

And they were your color, John. That was a very good description. Although during the bright side, if I rap them, they're definitely white. While on the sun center sunrise, they come out the true firefly color you described.

John, did you read all that?

This is Cal. Now reading you very weak, Wally. You faded after that first good transmission there. I got that you were seeing the fireflies and then you faded out on your description. Repeat please.

Okay. How do you read me now?

Loud and clear again.

Okay, we're back on UHF-hi. They were definitely the fireflies that you described at sunrise. I haven't been looking at sunsets particularly. As we get brighter, for example, now when I'm in the daylight and I rap it, I get white crystals which look like ice.

Roger, got that all okay. Understand as described at first, and they got whiter as you go into better light.

Right, I've got white ones right now that are sort of drifting around. Look like little bits of frost.

Roger, sounds good. Are you read to copy (recovery area) 4-1 retrosequence? Over.

Roger, go ahead John.

Roger. Incidentally, you have a go for the next orbit in case you were wondering. Cape concurs with that one. Your retrosequence time for 4-1 is 04 32 36. Over.

32 36.

Roger. 04 32 36. And Cape advises just proceed with normal flight plan. Looks like things are going fine.

Yeah, I feel real happy with everything. I stopped everything to get a hold of that suit circuit and that seemed to fix it up.

Roger, that had everybody concerned for a while, but looks like it is in good shape now.

I was sure everybody was jumping up and down on that one.