Brief
Mercury-Atlas 9 mission
The claims the writer was given for Mercury-Atlas 9 mission, in the order they were given.
1
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr. observed a brilliant blue band of light at sunrise in the east, with a haze layer visible beneath it.
“And I'm beginning to get the brilliant blue of sun rising in the east. Bright blue band underneath all this haze layer. I can see the haze layer.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:00:00.4-00:00:12.5 observation first hand
2
At one hour and 21 minutes into the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission, Gordon Cooper observed particles resembling the space fireflies phenomenon drifting away from him.
“And now at one hour at this time, I now have one hour and 21 minutes, and I am observing John's fireflies drifting away from me.”
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:00:01.9-00:00:15.5 observation first hand
3
During the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission, Gordon Cooper observed the sun coming up behind him and a glow beginning to appear on the clouds.
“The sun is coming up behind me. I'm beginning to get the glow on the clouds.”
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:00:48.1-00:00:51.8 observation first hand
4
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr. observed small luminescent particles drifting away from the spacecraft that appeared brilliant white.
“These small luminescent particles drift away from you. Small in forward. In this light they appear brilliant white without seeing it all in them.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:01:24.8-00:01:34.1 observation first hand
5
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr. had not seen the recovery beacon by that point in the mission.
“Roger, you haven't seen the beacon at this time? Negative, I still haven't seen the beacon.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:01:43.4-00:01:46.8 observation first hand
6
During the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission, Gordon Cooper observed the clouds on the Earth below changing colour and becoming lighter.
“Clouds on the Earth below are changing color, are getting quite light.”
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:01:45.8-00:01:51.4 observation first hand
7
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr. heard considerable noise, as if something were departing from the spacecraft.
“There was considerable noise, though, as if something were departing.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:01:54.3-00:01:56.5 observation first hand
8
L. Gordon Cooper Jr. inferred that a recovery beacon aboard Mercury-Atlas 9 had departed, based on doors that sounded like they had blown open.
“There was considerable noise as the little doors sounded like the little doors blowing open, so I assume the beacon has departed.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:01:59.7-00:02:05.4 observation first hand
9
During Mercury-Atlas 9, ground control reported that telemetry (TM) readings looked good on the ground.
“Roger, understand TM looks real good on the ground”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:02:06.8-00:02:15.4 administrative
10
Gordon Cooper reported being on the day side of the Earth during the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission.
“I am now on the day side.”
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:02:39.3-00:02:41.9 observation first hand
11
Gordon Cooper observed that the sun was not yet fully up and that he could observe stars during the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission.
“The sun is not yet quite up, and I am observing stars.”
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:02:42.3-00:02:45.7 observation first hand
12
During Mercury-Atlas 9, the television (TV) control switch aboard the spacecraft was confirmed switched to off.
“Okay, you confirm TV control switch to off. Roger. TV control is off.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:02:47.8-00:02:52.3 administrative first hand
13
Gordon Cooper observed that the Earth appeared light below him during the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission.
“The Earth is light below me.”
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:02:48.0-00:02:49.6 observation first hand
14
Gordon Cooper observed that the sun was still behind him during the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission.
“The sun is still behind me.”
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:02:51.0-00:02:52.3 observation first hand
15
Gordon Cooper observed that the sky appeared dark above him with stars visible very distinctly during the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission.
“The sky looks dark above me, and I can see stars very distinctly.”
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:02:52.5-00:02:57.8 observation first hand
16
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr. reported a Direct Current (DC) main bus reading of 24 volts.
“Main bus is 24.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:03:17.7-00:03:18.4 measurement first hand
17
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr. reported an isolated Direct Current (DC) reading of 28.5 volts.
“Isolated 28 and a half.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:03:18.7-00:03:21.0 measurement first hand
18
During Mercury-Atlas 9, Walter Schirra, serving as ground control ("Wally"), reported that the latest fuel computations at USA, Hawaii gave L. Gordon Cooper Jr. 88 percent fuel on automatic control.
“systems last computations on fuel at Hawaii gave you 88 auto 98 manual, which is somewhat better than you're indicating on board.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:04:00.8-00:04:10.9 measurement first hand
19
During Mercury-Atlas 9, Walter Schirra, serving as ground control ("Wally"), reported that the latest fuel computations at USA, Hawaii gave L. Gordon Cooper Jr. 98 percent fuel on manual control.
“systems last computations on fuel at Hawaii gave you 88 auto 98 manual, which is somewhat better than you're indicating on board.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:04:00.8-00:04:10.9 measurement first hand
20
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr.'s onboard instruments indicated 96 percent fuel on automatic control.
“On board, I'm indicating 9-6 and 1-0-2.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:04:14.2-00:04:16.6 measurement first hand
21
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr.'s onboard instruments indicated 102 percent fuel on manual control.
“On board, I'm indicating 9-6 and 1-0-2.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:04:14.2-00:04:16.6 measurement first hand
22
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr. observed a clear view of the entire state of USA, Florida from orbit.
“The whole state is clear. I can see I'm just about off. There's been a beautiful view coming over Florida.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:04:43.4-00:04:51.0 observation first hand
23
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr. observed a light below the spacecraft that was brownish, reddish-brown in colour.
“It's light in sight. It is below me. It's quite a brownish, reddish-brown.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:07:19.7-00:07:26.5 observation first hand
24
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr. observed that the reddish-brown light below the spacecraft appeared to be at considerable altitude above the ground.
“and considerable altitude above the ground.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:07:28.4-00:07:31.6 observation first hand
25
During Mercury-Atlas 9, when L. Gordon Cooper Jr. fired the spacecraft's pitch-down thruster, he observed a shower of small firefly-like particles.
“On my fiery pitch-down thruster, I get a shower of these little fireflies.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:07:33.0-00:07:37.8 observation first hand
26
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr. observed that the reddish-brown light below the spacecraft was flashing and quite bright and discernible.
“It is flashing now. It is the light. It's quite bright, quite discernible.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:07:40.0-00:07:44.8 observation first hand
27
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr. estimated the flashing reddish-brown light was approximately 16 to 19 kilometres away.
“Must be about 10 to 12 miles away.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:07:56.6-00:07:58.5 measurement first hand
28
During Mercury-Atlas 9, L. Gordon Cooper Jr. estimated the brightness of the flashing reddish-brown light as being on the order of a second magnitude star.
“At the order of a second magnitude star now.”
NASA-UAP-D011, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 2026-07-11 00:08:05.8-00:08:08.1 measurement first hand