NASA-UAP-D013, Mercury Atlas 7, May 24, 1962
Official description
During the fourth crewed spaceflight and second orbital flight of Project Mercury, Mercury-Atlas 7 (MA-7), Aurora 7 pilot Scott Carpenter describes white particles in view that appear to move at “random” and “look exactly like snowflakes.” He describes these phenomena as reflective, and that some seemed to move faster than the Aurora 7 spacecraft.
✦ AI summary
This is an in-flight audio excerpt from Mercury-Atlas 7 (Aurora 7), recorded May 24, 1962, capturing radio communication between pilot Scott Carpenter and ground control (CapCom) during the mission's second orbital pass. Carpenter reports numerous white particles visible below the capsule, some traveling at the same speed as the spacecraft and others drifting away faster than the capsule itself. Ground acknowledges ("Roger") and notes it has only observed a few such particles, describing their motion as random and their appearance as "exactly like snowflakes." Carpenter is asked to attempt photographing the particles but must first adjust the spacecraft's attitude to stay within horizon-scanner limits. A second cluster of particles is reported shortly after, again compared to snowflakes, with ground confirming the description before the excerpt ends. The tone throughout is procedural and matter-of-fact, consistent with routine in-flight reporting.
Generated with AI from the official file — may contain errors.
▸Transcript
[00:00] I have more of the white particles in view below the capsule, they appear to be traveling exactly my speed, there is one drifting off, it's going faster than I am, as a matter of fact. [00:25] Roger, I understand. I haven't seen the great numbers of these particles, but I've seen a few of them. Their motion is random. They look exactly like snowflakes to me. [00:42] Roger, have you tried to return some negatives? Let me get within scanner limits first. [00:52] Say it. I must adjust my attitude to within scanner limits first. [01:00] Roger. [01:23] There were some more of those little particles. They definitely look like snowflakes this time. [01:39] Roger, I understand your particles look like definite snowflakes. [01:44] However... [01:46] Want me to try it? [01:47] Roger.
Generated with AI from the official file — may contain errors.
Source: U.S. Department of War / AARO — public domain · war.gov/ufo
Entities in this document
Connected cases
NASA-UAP-D015, Astronaut Scientific Debriefings, 1962-1963
NASA-UAP-D018, Gemini 4 Experiment Debriefing, 1967
NASA-UAP-D003A, Gemini 7 Audio Excerpt, 1965
NASA-UAP-D004, Apollo 11 Technical Crew Debriefing, 1969
NASA-UAP-D005, Apollo 17 Crew Debriefing for Science, 1973
