Word: shepards
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...conversation continued. Shepard's voice was clear and controlled. After maneuvering his capsule, he reported that it had assumed the proper attitude for firing its three braking retrorockets. They were not necessary for the flight; this time they were fired for practice. Then the retro package was jettisoned. Preparing for descent, Shepard reported that his periscope had retracted. As the capsule plunged downward into the atmosphere, and the Gs of deceleration climbed toward a punishing 10, the astronaut's voice grew gruff as he strained to make his breath behave. Then the capsule slowed; his words were distinct...
...Shepard: All clear. This is Freedom...
Almost on the button waited the carrier Lake Champlain. Just before Shepard's launch, five Marine helicopters had buzzed from her deck to stand by for his arrival. Their crews had trained for a year for this moment; they were experts at hovering over a Mercury capsule, snagging it with a giant, steel shepherd's crook and getting its astronaut on board quickly. One of the skilled crook handlers, Lieut. George Cox, had fished the Astrochimp Ham out of the drink last...
...deck of the carrier, 1,200 crewmen who roared their cheers when they heard that Shepard was on his way, waited in silent expectation as he made his lonely flight. From time to time an announcer reported his progress; then Shepard's voice itself came over the loudspeaker. It was not clear. He was descending, and the Gs of re-entry were pressing him hard. Every man on the deck scanned the sky. When Freedom 7's big orange-and-white parachute popped open at 10,000 ft., the Lake Champlain came alive with cheers once more. "Damn...
...capsule descended, swinging widely on its chute, and the choppers buzzed to meet it. They were hovering close when it hit the water with a small splash, three miles away. Shepard had already asked by radio to be taken aboard; so Crook Wielder Cox got a line around the capsule, steadied it and lowered a horsecollar sling to lift Shepard to the chopper.* Safe in the cabin, the first U.S. astronaut exulted: "It's a beautiful day. Boy, what a ride...