Phase 3: Reentry

Gus Grissom

Roger. I'm in reentry attitude.

Alan Shepard

Roger, how does it look out the window now?

Gus Grissom

Ah, the sun is coming in and so all I can see really is just, ah, just darkness. The sky is very black.

Alan Shepard

Roger, you have some more time to look if you like.

Alan Shepard

7 from Cap Com, how do you feel up there?

Gus Grissom

I feel very good, auto fuel is 90, manual is 50.

Alan Shepard

Roger, 0.05 g in 10.

Gus Grissom

OK, everything is very good, ah.

Gus Grissom

I got 0.05 g and roll rate has started.

Gus Grissom

Got a pitch rate in here, OK, g's are starting to build.

Alan Shepard

Roger, reading you loud and clear.

Gus Grissom

Roger, g's are building, we're up to 6.

Gus Grissom

There's about 10; the handle is out from under it; here I got a little pitch rate coming back down through 7.

Alan Shepard

Roger, still sound good.

Gus Grissom

OK, the altimeter is active at 65. There's 60.

Gus Grissom

Okay, I'm getting some contrails, evidently shock wave, 50,000 feet; I'm feeling good. I'm very good, everything is fine.

Gus Grissom

45,000, do you still read?

Alan Shepard

Affirmative. Still reading you. You sound good.

Gus Grissom

OK, 40,000 feet, do you read?

Gus Grissom

35,000 feet, if you read me.

Gus Grissom

30,000 feet, everything is good, everything is good.

Alan Shepard

Bell 7, this is Cap Com. How…

Unknown

Cape, do you read?

Gus Grissom

Approaching drogue chute attitude.

Gus Grissom

There's the drogue chute. The periscope has extended.

Alan Shepard

This is…we have a green drogue here, 7 how do you read?

Gus Grissom

OK, we're coming down to 15,000 feet, if anyone reads. We're on emergency flow rate, can see out the periscope OK. The drogue chute is good.

Alan Shepard

Roger, understand drogue is good, the periscope is out.

Gus Grissom

There goes the main chute, it's reefed; main chute is good; main chute is good; rate of descent coming down, coming down to – there's 40 feet per second, 30 feet per, 32 feet per second on the main chute, and the landing bag is out green.

Unknown

Ah, it's better than it was, Chuck.

Gus Grissom

Hello, does anybody read Liberty Bell, main chute is good, landing bag is on green.

Alan Shepard

And the landing bag is on green.

ATS

Liberty Bell 7, Liberty Bell 7, this is Atlantic Ship Cap Com. Read you loud and clear. Our telemetry confirms your events. Over.

Gus Grissom

Ah, roger, is anyone reading Liberty Bell 7? Over.

Cardfile 23

Roger, Liberty Bell 7, reading you loud and clear. This is C 23. Over.

Gus Grissom

Atlantic Ship Cap Com, this is Liberty Bell 7, how do you read me? Over.

ATS

Read you loud and clear. Over. Liberty Bell 7, Liberty Bell 7, this is Atlantic Ship Cap Com. How do you read me? Over.

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Gus Grissom

Atlantic Ship Cap Com, this is Liberty Bell 7, I read you loud and clear. How, me? Over.

ATS

Roger, Bell 7, read you loud and clear, your status looks good, your systems look good, we confirm your events. Over.

Gus Grissom

Ah, roger, and confirm the fuel has dumped. Over.

ATS

Roger, confirm again, confirm again, has your auto fuel dumped? Over.

Gus Grissom

Auto fuel and manual fuel has dumped.

ATS

Roger, roger.

Gus Grissom

And I'm in the process of putting the pins back in the door at this time.

Gus Grissom

OK, I'm passing down through 6,000 feet, everything is good, ah.

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Spoken on July 21, 1961, 12:31 p.m. UTC (63 years, 4 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

Gus Grissom

I'm going to open my face plate.

Gus Grissom

Hello, I can't get one, I can't get one door pin back in. I've tried and tried and tried and I can't get it back in. And I'm coming, ATS, I'm passing through 5,000 feet and I don't think I have one of the door pins in.

ATS

Roger, Bell 7, roger.

Gus Grissom

Do you have any word from the recovery troops?

Cardfile 23

Liberty Bell 7, this is Card File 23, we are heading directly toward you.

Gus Grissom

ATS, this is Cap – this is Liberty Bell 7. Do you have any word from the recovery troops?

ATS

Negative, Bell 7, negative. Do you have any transmission to MCC? Over.

Gus Grissom

Ah, roger, you might make a note that there is one small hole in my chute. It looks like it's about 6 inches by 6 inches – it's sort of a – actually it's a triangular rip, I guess.

ATS

Ah, roger, roger.

Gus Grissom

I'm passing through 3,000 feet, and all the fuses are in flight condition; ASCS is normal, auto; we're on rate command; gyros are normal; auto retrojettison is armed; squibs are armed also. Four fuel handles are in; decompress and recompress are in; retro delay is normal; retrobeat is off; cabin lights are both. TM is on. Rescue aids is auto; landing bag is auto; retract scope is auto; retroattitude is auto. All the three, five pull strings are in. Going through some clouds to 2,000 feet. ATS, I'm at 2,000 feet; everything is normal.

ATS

Roger, Bell 7, what is your rate of descent again? Over.

Gus Grissom

The rate of descent is varying between 28 and 30 feet per second.

ATS

Ah, roger, roger, and once again verify your fuel has dumped. Over.

Unknown

Seven ahead at bearing 020. Over.

Gus Grissom

OK. My max g was about 10.2; altimeter is 1,000; cabin pressure is coming towards 15.

Unknown

We'll make up.

Gus Grissom

Temperature is 90.

Unknown

We'll make up an eye rep.

Gus Grissom

Coolant quantity is 30; temperature is 68; pressure is 14; main O2 is 60; normal is, main is 60; emergency is 100; suit fan is normal; cabin fan is normal. We have 21 amps, and I'm getting ready for impact here.

Gus Grissom

Can see the water coming right on up.

ATS

Liberty Bell 7, Liberty Bell 7, this is Atlantic Cap Com, do you read me? Over.

Gus Grissom

OK, does anyone read Liberty Bell 7? Over.

Hunt Club 1

Liberty Bell 7, Liberty Bell 7, Hunt Club 1 is 2 miles southwest you.

Cardfile 9

Liberty Bell 7, this 9 Card File. We have your entry into the water. Will be over you in just about 30 seconds.

Gus Grissom

Roger, my condition is good; OK, the capsule is floating, slowly coming vertical, have actuated the rescue aids. The reserve chute has jettisoned, in fact I can see it in the water, and the whip antenna should be up.

Unknown

Hunt Club, did you copy?

Unknown

OK, Hunt Club, this is…don't forget the antenna.

Hunt Club 1

This is Hunt Club, say again.

Gus Grissom

Hunt Club, this is Liberty Bell 7. My antenna should be up.

Hunt Club 1

This is Hunt Club 1…your antenna is erected.

Gus Grissom

OK, give me how much longer it'll be before you get here.

Hunt Club 1

This is Hunt Club 1, we are in orbit now at this time, around the capsule.

Gus Grissom

Roger, give me about another 5 minutes here, to mark these switch positions here, before I give you a call to come in and hook on. Are you ready to come in and hook on anytime?

Hunt Club 1

Hunt Club 1, roger we are ready anytime you are.

Gus Grissom

OK, give me about another 3 or 4 minutes here to take these switch positions, then I'll be ready for you.

Hunt Club 1

1, wilco.

Cardfile 9

Hey Hunt Clubs, Card File, Card File 9, I'll stand by to escort you back as soon as you lift out. I keep another aircraft at least 2,000 feet.

Hunt Club 1

Ah, Bell 7 this is Hunt Club 1.

Gus Grissom

Go, go ahead Hunt Club 1.

Hunt Club 1

Roger, this is 1, observe something, possibly the canister in the water along side capsule. Will we be interfering with any TM if we come down and take a look at it?

Gus Grissom

Negative, not at all. I'm just going to put the rest of this stuff on tape and then I'll be ready for you, in just about 2 more minutes, I would say.

Hunt Club 1

1 roger.

Alan Shepard

Liberty Bell 7, Cap Com at the Cape on a test count. Over.

Alan Shepard

Liberty Bell 7, Cape Cap Com on a test count. Over.

Cardfile 9

Any Hunt Club, this is 9 Card File.