.Editor's Note: The observing is actually the text message of a letter coming from Exploration 3 Commander Frank L. Culbertson (Captain, USN Retired), reassessing the celebrations of September 11.September 12, 2001 7:34 p.m.I haven't created quite concerning specifics of the purpose in the course of the month I have actually been here, mainly for 2 factors: the initial being actually that there has actually been very little bit of opportunity to carry out that sort of composing, and also secondly because I'm not exactly sure just how comfortable I am sharing thought and feelings I show friends and family with the remainder of the world.Properly, clearly the planet changed today. What I claim or even do is incredibly minor contrasted to the importance of what took place to our nation today when it was assaulted through ... by whom? Revolutionaries is actually all we understand, I suppose. Difficult to understand at whom to point our temper as well as worry ...I had merely completed a variety of activities today, the best taxing being actually the physical exams of all workers participants. In a private chat observing that, the tour surgeon informed me they were having a very negative day on the ground. I had no idea ...He illustrated the situation to me as best he knew it at ~ 0900 CDT. I was actually astonished, after that terrified. My initial idea was that this wasn't an actual talk, that I was actually still paying attention to some of my Tom Clancy tapes. It just failed to seem possible on this incrustation in our country. I couldn't even think of the particulars, also before the news of more destruction began being available in.Vladimir came rather rapidly, noticing that one thing very major was being actually reviewed. I swung Michael into the component as well. They were additionally amazed and also stunned. After our company authorized off, I attempted to explain to Vladimir as well as Michael as greatest I might the prospective magnitude of this particular act of horror in midtown New york as well as at the Pentagon. They precisely knew and were actually very considerate.I eyed the Globe Map on the computer system to view where over the planet our experts were actually as well as noticed that our company were actually happening southeast out of Canada and also would be actually passing over New England in a handful of minutes. I whized around the terminal till I located a window that would certainly provide me a view of New York City and got hold of the nearest video camera. It happened to become a video camera, as well as I was actually looking south from the home window of Michael's log cabin.The smoke cigarettes seemed to be to possess a strange blossom to it at the base of the pillar that was actually streaming south of the area. After reviewing among the newspaper article our experts merely got, I feel our experts were actually taking a look at NY around the moment of, or even soon after, the failure of the second high rise. How unpleasant ...I swept the cam during the East Coast to the south to view if I can view every other smoke cigarettes around Washington, or anywhere else, however absolutely nothing showed up.It was actually pretty challenging to consider job after that, though we possessed some to accomplish, however on the next orbit our company traversed the United States further south. All three people were actually operating 1 or 2 electronic cameras to attempt to get viewpoints of The big apple or even Washington. There was actually fog over Washington, but no details source might be viewed. Everything appeared awesome from two to three hundred kilometers away. I can't think of the heartbreaking settings on the ground.Aside from the emotional impact of our country being attacked as well as hundreds of our residents as well as possibly some close friends being actually gotten rid of, one of the most overwhelming emotion being actually where I am actually is one of solitude.Following day ... I think the exhaustion and emotional tension got the most ideal of me. I could not stay awake and also remain to write. Today was still difficult, but we started obtaining more details, plus our company had the respect of chatting straight along with the Facility Supervisor, Roy Estess, that guaranteed our team that the ground groups will remain to operate as well as guarantee our safety and security, in addition to the safe procedure of the Station. Our team additionally talked to our Manager, Mr. Goldin, that included that the partners in the Course are all completely dedicated to proceeding safe functions and also help. These were never questions for me. I recognize all these individuals! The ground groups have been actually very helpful, very understanding of the effect of the news, and have actually made an effort to become as helpful as achievable. They have all been actually incredibly specialist and also centered though I can't imagine the diversion of this particular type of news can be found in and the thought and feelings that authorities buildings may be in danger. They never ever bypassed a beat, even when transferring control centers. And a group of elderly staffs and also pals provided our team a fairly detailed briefing about what was known and what was actually being actually carried out in the government and also at NASA on Tuesday mid-day, which was actually very beneficial and kind of them to carry out in the midst of all the turmoil. The Russian TsUP has actually additionally been actually encouraging and valuable, making an effort to uplink news articles when our own resources were actually inoperable, and pointing out kind terms ...My crewmates have been actually excellent, as well. They understand it is actually been actually a challenging time for me and the individuals on the ground, and also they have actually tried to be as even keeled as well as useful as possible. Michael also fixed me my beloved Borscht soup for dinner. And also they give me a lot of room to assume when I needed it. They are actually incredibly supportive and certainly shocked at whoever would do this.I know so many individuals in Washington, numerous individuals that journey to DC and also NYC, plenty of that are flies, that I experienced certain I would certainly acquire at least a few pieces of trouble over the upcoming handful of days. I acquired the very first one today when I discovered that the Captain of the American Airlines jet that struck the Pentagon was Chic Burlingame, a friend of mine. I came across Chic during cadet summer season when our company were in the D&B all together, and our team possessed great deals of courses all together. I can not envision what he has to of experienced, and now I hear that he might have risen even more than we may also think of through potentially avoiding his plane coming from being the one to deal with the White Residence. What a dreadful reduction, yet I make certain Chic was battling fearlessly throughout. And splits don't move the exact same precede ...It's challenging to illustrate how it experiences to be the only United States totally off the world each time such as this. The sensation that I should exist along with each of you, dealing with this, assisting somehow, is actually mind-boggling. I understand that we get on the limit (or even beyond) of a terrible switch in the background of the world. Many points will definitely certainly never be the same again after September 11, 2001. Certainly not just for the manies thousand and also thousands of people straight impacted through these hideous process of violence, yet probably for everybody. Our team will definitely discover our own selves experiencing differently about loads of traits, including probably room exploration, however.It is actually terrible to observe smoke cigarettes pouring from wounds in your very own nation from such a wonderful angle. The duality of performing a spacecraft committed to enhancing live on the planet as well as viewing lifestyle being actually destroyed through such premeditated, horrendous acts is actually jolting to the mind, despite that you are. And the expertise that every little thing will be actually different than when our team launched due to the opportunity our company land is actually a little bit of disconcerting. I have confidence in our country and in our management that our experts will perform every little thing possible to far better safeguard her and our households, as well as to bring fair treatment of what has actually been done. I have self-confidence that the really good people at NASA will certainly do everything necessary to proceed our goal safely and securely as well as return our company properly at the right time. As well as I overlook each one of you significantly. I can't be there with you personally, and we possess a long way to visit complete our objective, yet be actually certain that my center is with you, and understand you are in my requests.Submissively, Frank.September 14, 2001 10:49 p.m. An update to the last letter ... Fortunately, it is actually been a busy full week up right here. As well as to show that, like our nation, our company are actually advancing our designated course along with service customarily (as long as achievable). Tonight the most recent enhancement to the place, the Russian Docking Compartment are going to be actually introduced coming from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. On Sunday night (US time), it will definitely dock along with our company, at a slot never used prior to on the nadir side of the Solution Element. This brand-new element will definitely give our team an additional location to dock a Development or even Soyuz and will deliver a huge airlock with two able to be used hatches for conducting EVA's in Russian Orlan suits, which we will certainly carry out a few of before our team return.The trouble before in dealing with today was too little updates. The concern right now is way too much. It arrived all at once when email was actually restored, and there is actually insufficient opportunity to read all of it! Plus it's too tough to cope with all of it at once. Yet I appreciate acquiring it, and also I really value the terrific letters of support and companionship I am actually getting.We are actually prospering on board, acquiring our work performed, and also talking about factors. Final night our team had a long conversation over supper concerning the importance of these events, the feasible activities to adhere to, and also what ought to be done. After dinner, Michael resolved telling me that every e-mail he got from good friends in Russia stated particularly to inform me exactly how sorry they were that this happened, extending their condolences, and inquiring exactly how I was actually performing. Vladimir taught me the Russian word for "acknowledgements" after talking to the previous CDR, Yuri Usachev, on the phone in Celebrity Area. (Both the Russian as well as the English words are actually considerably extremely long to verbalize effortlessly.) Really type individuals.For the last two days, the Russian MCC has actually sufficed to broadcast live broadcasts of radio headlines about the event and affiliated tales, to ensure I was well informed. Every specialist who has begun free throw line to explain a procedure or a concern has at some point extended greetings to me along with kind words. Tonight the Russian capcom informed our company that as a result of the big day of remembrance in the US, all the time individuals had actually been actually bringing blooms as well as edging all the wall structures of the US consulate in Moscow, as well as this evening they were igniting candle lights in the street outside the embassy. Just how the globe has modified.Folks just about everywhere seem to identify the senselessness and terror in this particular attack. And the enormous reduction. Moscow has actually handled these type of issues in the last couple of years along with apartment or condo as well as metro bombings, so they are actually as nervous to remove this threat as we are. But the bottom collection is that there are actually great individuals almost everywhere who wish to reside in peace. I read through that a child talked to, "United States is so great to other nations, our company constantly aid every person, exactly how can they loathe our team a great deal?".I really hope the example of participation as well as count on that this space probe plus all the people in the program display daily are going to sooner or later inspire the remainder of the world to work similarly. They must!Sadly, our team won't be actually flighting over the United States during the time folks are actually lighting candlesticks. Don't know if our company could find that in any case. Our team performed, however, view a very unusual and gorgeous attraction a few mins ago: the launch of our Docking Chamber on a Soyuz enhancer. Our experts were overtaking it and also it emerged regarding three mins after its launch from Baikonur as the sun attacked our station, so it was still at night. It seemed like a huge comet along with a directly, large tail silhouetted against the dark world beneath. Even with some negative lights for a while as the sunshine struck our home window at a reduced angle, I handled some video clip of it as to begin with our team passed the spacecraft, and after that enjoyed it start to mesmerize as it obtained height as well as velocity. I shot up until main motor cutoff as well as enhancer separation occurred equally our team came close to daybreak on the Himalayas. An unforgettable sight in an extraordinary full week ...Life happens, also precede. Our company are actually here to remain ... Frank.