Glenn's Official Communication with the Command Center

John Glenn

1962



CANAVERAL [COMMAND CENTER]

Command Center: Roger.

Glenn: There is quite a bit of cloud cover down in this area. I can, ah, right on track, I can only see certain areas. I can see quite a bit on up to the north, however.

G: This is Friendship 7, going to manual control.

CC: Ah, Roger, Friendship 7.

G: This is banging in and out here; I'll just control it manually.

CC: Roger.

CC: Friendship 7, Guaymas Cap Com, reading you loud and clear.

G: Roger, Guaymas, read you loud and clear also.

TEXAS [COMMAND TECH]

CT: Friendship 7, Friendship 7, this is Texas Com Tech. Do you read? Over.

G: Roger, Texas, go ahead.

CT: Ah, Roger. Reading you 5 square. Standby for Texas Cap Com.

G: Roger.

CC: This is Texas Cap Com, Friendship 7. We are recommending that you leave the retropackage on through the entire reentry. This means that you will have to override the 05g switch which is expected to occur at 04 43 3. This also means that you will have to manually retract the scope. Do you read?

G: This is Friendship 7. What is the reason for this? Do you have any reason? Over.

CC: Not at this time; this is the judgement of Cape Flight.

G: Ah, Roger. Say again your instructions please. Over.

CC: We are recommending that the retropackage not, I say again, not be jettisoned. This means that you will have to override the 05g switch which is expected to occur at 04 43 53. This is approximately 4-1/2 minutes from now. This also means that you will have to retract the scope manually. Do you understand?

G: Ah, Roger, understand. I will have to make a manual 05g entry when it occurs, and bring the scope in, ah, manually. Is that affirm?

CC: That is affirmative, Friendship 7.

G: Ah, Roger.

G: This is Friendship 7, going to reentry attitude, then, in that case.

CC: Friendship 7, Cape flight will give you the reasons for this action when you are in view.

G: Ah, Roger. Ah, Roger. Friendship 7.

CC: Everything down here on the ground looks okay.

G: Ah, Roger. This is Friendship 7.

CC: Confirm your attitudes.

G: Roger.

CANAVERAL

CC: Ah, Friendship 7, this is Cape. Over.

G: Go ahead, Cape. Friend 7.

CC: Ah, recommend you go to reentry attitude and retract the scope manually at this time.

G: Ah, Roger, retracting scope manually.

CC: While you're doing that, we are not sure whether or not your landing bag has deployed. We feel it is possible to reenter with the retropackage on. Ah, we see no difficulty at this time in that type of reentry. Over.

G: Ah, Roger, understand.

CC: Seven, this is Cape. Over.

G: Go ahead, Cape. Friendship 7.

CC: Estimating 05g at 04 44.

G: Ah, Roger.

CC: You override 05g at that time.

G: Ah, Roger. Friendship 7.

G: This is Friendship 7. I'm on straight manual control at present time. This was, ah, still kicking in and out of orientation mode, mainly in yaw, ah, following retrofire, so I am on straight manual now. I'll back it up —

CC: — on reentry.

G: Say again.

CC: Standby.

G: This is Friendship 7. Ah, going to fly-by-wire. I'm down to about 15 percent on manual.

CC: Ah, Roger. You're going to use fly-by-wire for reentry and we recommend that you do the best you can to keep a zero angle during reentry. Over.

G: Ah, Roger. Friendship 7.

G: This is Friendship 7. I'm on fly-by-wire, back-it up with manual. Over.

CC: Roger, understand.

CC: Ah, Seven, this is Cape. The weather in the recovery area is excellent, 3-foot waves, only one-tenth cloud coverage, 10 miles visibility.

G: Ah, Roger. Friendship 7.

CC: Ah, Seven, this is Cape. Over.

G: Go ahead, Cape, you're ground, you are going out.

CC: We recommend that you —

G: This is Friendship 7. I think the pack just let go.

G: This is Friendship 7. A real fireball outside.

G: Hello, Cape. Friendship 7. Over.

G: Hello, Cape. Friendship 7. Over.

G: Hello, Cape. Friendship 7. Do you receive? Over.

G: Hello, Cape. Friendship 7. Do you receive? Over.

CC: — How do you read? Over.

G: Loud and clear; how me?

CC: Roger, reading you loud and clear. How are you doing?

G: Oh, pretty good.

CC: Roger. Your impact point is within one mile of the up-range destroyer.

G: Ah, Roger.

CC: — Over.

G: Roger.

CC: This is Cape, estimating 4 50. Over.

G: Roger, 04 50.

G: Okay, we're through the peak g now.

CC: Ah, Seven, this is Cape. What's your general condition? Are you feeling pretty well?

G: My condition is good, but that was a real fireball, boy.

G: I had great chunks of that retropack breaking off all the way through.

CC: Very good; it did break off, is that correct?

G: Roger. Altimeter off the peg indicating 80 thousand.

CC: Roger, reading you loud and clear.

G: Roger.