Exploring the Unknown: Selected Documents in ... - The Black Vault

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First Steps into Space: Projects Mercury and Gemini
it down in the water and pulled it back up again, and I grabbed it and
got into it with very little difficulty, and shortly thereafter, was lifted right
directly from a sitting position out of the capsule up toward the chopper.
The only thing that gave me any problem at all, and it was only a minor
one, was that I banged into the HF antenna but, of course, it is so flexible
that it didn’t give me any trouble. I got into the chopper with no difficulty
at all, and I must admit was delighted to get there. Of course, the pickup
of the capsule went very nicely. The sea conditions were such that they
were able to get it up right away, and the next thing I knew we were making
a pass on the flat top. My sensations at this time were very easy to describe
and very easy to notice. It was a thrill, and a humble feeling, an exultant
feeling that everything had gone so well during the flight.
31. “I have not used the script 15 here, so I will go over it now to be sure
I have covered most of these items. Item 3 – the most outstanding
impression of the flight in special sensory areas. I think [page A31-34] it
is really very difficult to describe any one thing as being more outstanding
than the other. It was all fascinating, and interesting, and challenging,
and everything, all wrapped up into one. But I don’t really remember
noticing the weightless condition until I noticed a washer flying by. ‘Well,’
I thought, ‘you are supposed to be making some comment on being
weightless.’ So I did think about it a little bit. Of course, as we had known
before, in the backseat of the F-100’s, it is a real comfortable feeling.
Being strapped in like that, there is no tendency to be thrown around
at all and no uncomfortable sensations. I guess the most outstanding
impression that I had was the fact that I was able to do as well as I did. A
very good flight.
32. “Major surprises? No major surprises. Some minor ones which I have
described. I expected to be able to see the stars and planets, which I did
not do. I think I could have found them with a little more time to look.
The fact that I did not hear the jets firing – although I do remember
now hearing the control jets working just after reentry, after I went back
to ASCS. I remember hearing some of the high-thrust jets going at this
time. In reference to the sky and stars, I have described the stars which
I did not see and which I tried to see. I described the landing in the
water; I described the check points; I remember mentioning over RF that
I was able to see Okeechobee, also Andros and the Bimini Atoll which was
(the latter) most apparent because of the difference in color between the
shoals and the deep water.
33. “I did not describe the perimeter 16 too well because of cloud cover
around the perimeter. The predicted perimeter cloud cover was most
accurate. The clouds were such that the ones that had any vertical
formation were pretty far away, and I didn’t really notice much difference
in critical cloud heights. I think had I been closer to them, I would have
been able to notice this a little more. They were pretty far from the center
15. The debriefing form.
16. The perimeter of the field of view through the periscope