.Publisher's Details: The observing is actually the content of a character coming from Expedition 3 Commander Frank L. Culbertson (Leader, USN Resigned), reviewing the activities of September 11.September 12, 2001 7:34 p.m.I haven't composed very much about specifics of the purpose during the month I have actually been actually below, generally for 2 causes: the very first being actually that there has actually been actually quite little bit of time to accomplish that type of creating, and also also given that I am actually unsure how pleasant I am sharing ideas I share with friends and family along with the remainder of the globe.Well, obviously the world transformed today. What I mention or perform is actually quite minor contrasted to the importance of what happened to our nation today when it was actually struck through ... through whom? Revolutionaries is all we know, I suspect. Challenging to know at whom to direct our rage and worry ...I had actually simply completed a variety of tasks today, the most time-consuming being the physical examinations of all staff members. In an exclusive chat observing that, the trip surgeon told me they were having a very bad day on the ground. I possessed no idea ...He described the situation to me as finest he recognized it at ~ 0900 CDT. I was actually astonished, at that point terrified. My 1st thought and feelings was that this wasn't a true discussion, that I was still paying attention to one of my Tom Clancy strips. It only failed to seem to be achievable on this scale in our nation. I couldn't also think of the details, also just before the information of further damage started being available in.Vladimir came by rather quickly, sensing that something extremely major was actually being actually gone over. I swayed Michael in to the element too. They were additionally impressed and stunned. After our experts signed off, I tried to describe to Vladimir as well as Michael as ideal I might the prospective immensity of the show of horror in midtown New york as well as at the Pentagon. They accurately recognized and also were extremely sympathetic.I glanced at the Planet Map on the personal computer to see where over the planet our team were actually and also saw that our company were actually happening southeast away from Canada and will be actually overlooking New England in a couple of mins. I zoomed around the station up until I located a window that will give me a viewpoint of New York City as well as nabbed the local cam. It happened to become a camera, and also I was appearing south coming from the window of Michael's log cabin.The smoke cigarettes seemed to be to possess a weird flower to it at the bottom of the pillar that was streaming south of the metropolitan area. After reading among the news articles our company only got, I think our company were looking at NY around the amount of time of, or even not long after, the failure of the 2nd tower. Just how horrible ...I swung the video camera all along the East Coast to the south to view if I could possibly see some other smoke cigarettes around Washington, or anywhere else, yet nothing showed up.It was actually fairly tough to think of job afterwards, though our team possessed some to do, however on the following track our team went across the US additional southern. All 3 of us were actually functioning a couple of cams to attempt to receive viewpoints of New york city or Washington. There was actually haze over Washington, but no certain resource could be observed. All of it appeared awesome coming from two to three hundred miles away. I can't picture the heartbreaking scenes on the ground.Apart from the mental impact of our nation being actually dealt with and also countless our residents and maybe some close friends being actually eliminated, the absolute most mind-boggling emotion being where I am actually is one of seclusion.Upcoming time ... I suppose the tiredness as well as mental strain received the best of me. I could not stay awake and also remain to compose. Today was actually still complicated, however our experts began receiving more relevant information, plus our company had the respect of chatting straight along with the Facility Director, Roy Estess, that guaranteed us that the ground groups will remain to function and also ensure our security, along with the safe operation of the Place. Our experts additionally learnt through our Manager, Mr. Goldin, that incorporated that the partners in the Course are actually all totally committed to proceeding secure functions as well as support. These were actually never inquiries for me. I recognize all these folks! The ground groups have been unbelievably encouraging, extremely understanding of the impact of the updates, and also have made an effort to become as handy as possible. They have all been actually very specialist and also concentrated though I can not think of the disturbance of the form of headlines coming in and the notion that federal government buildings might be at risk. They never ever skipped a beat, even when relocating nerve center. And also a group of elderly personnel as well as good friends gave our company a rather extensive instruction on what was known as well as what was actually being actually performed in the government and also at NASA on Tuesday afternoon, which was actually incredibly helpful and also kind of them to perform in the midst of all the distress. The Russian TsUP has actually additionally been supportive and also useful, making an effort to uplink news articles when our personal resources were actually unusable, and also stating kind terms ...My crewmates have been actually wonderful, too. They recognize it is actually been a challenging time for me and the people on the ground, and they've tried to be as also keeled and useful as feasible. Michael even corrected me my preferred Borscht soup for supper. And they offer me loads of room to assume when I needed it. They are very thoughtful and certainly outraged at whoever will do this.I know so many people in Washington, a lot of individuals who take a trip to DC and also New York City, a lot of who are aviators, that I felt certain I will acquire a minimum of a couple of parts of problem over the upcoming handful of days. I acquired the initial one today when I found out that the Leader of the American Airlines plane that attacked the Pentagon was actually Chic Burlingame, a classmate of mine. I encountered Chic during the course of cadet summer when our company were in the D&B all together, and our company possessed great deals of lessons together. I can't visualize what he should of experienced, and now I hear that he might have climbed further than our experts can easily also think about by possibly stopping his aircraft from being actually the one to tackle the White Property. What a horrible loss, however I'm sure Chic was combating bravely throughout. And tears don't flow the exact same in space ...It is actually challenging to define just how it feels to become the only United States totally off the planet at a time including this. The feeling that I ought to exist along with all of you, dealing with this, aiding somehow, is actually difficult. I know that we perform the limit (or past) of a dreadful switch in the history of the planet. Lots of factors are going to never be the same again after September 11, 2001. Not simply for the manies thousand as well as lots of folks directly affected through these horrible actions of violence, however perhaps for all of us. Our company will definitely discover ourselves experiencing in a different way about lots of traits, featuring probably room exploration, unfortunately.It's awful to see smoke cigarettes putting coming from wounds in your personal nation from such a fantastic angle. The dichotomy of getting on a spacecraft committed to enhancing daily life on the planet as well as viewing lifestyle being damaged by such conscious, dreadful process is actually jolting to the mind, no matter that you are actually. As well as the understanding that everything will be actually various than when we released due to the time our company land is actually a little bit of disconcerting. I believe in our country and in our management that we will carry out whatever feasible to better defend her and our households, and to deliver justice wherefore has been actually done. I possess peace of mind that the excellent folks at NASA will certainly perform everything needed to continue our objective securely and return our team securely at the right time. And I miss out on every one of you significantly. I can not be there along with you personally, and our company possess a very long way to go to complete our objective, however be actually specific that my center is actually with you, as well as recognize you are in my petitions.Submissively, Frank.September 14, 2001 10:49 p.m. An update to the final letter ... Luckily, it is actually been an occupied full week up here. As well as to prove that, like our nation, our experts are actually continuing our planned course along with business as usual (as high as possible). Tonight the current enhancement to the place, the Russian Docking Compartment are going to be released from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. On Saturday evening (US time), it will dock along with us, at a port certainly never used just before on the low point edge of the Company Element. This brand new element will definitely provide our company yet another area to dock an Improvement or even Soyuz as well as will definitely deliver a big airlock with two useable hatches for conducting EVA's in Russian Orlan satisfies, which our experts are going to do a few of prior to our team come home.The trouble before in managing recently was actually too little headlines. The problem today is a lot of. It came simultaneously when e-mail was actually brought back, as well as there is actually not enough time to read all of it! Plus it is actually also hard to take care of all of it simultaneously. Yet I enjoy acquiring it, as well as I really appreciate the fantastic characters of assistance and also companionship I am actually getting.Our experts are prospering aboard, getting our job done, and talking about things. Last night we possessed a lengthy conversation over dinner concerning the implication of these celebrations, the feasible activities to observe, and also what ought to be actually carried out. After dinner, Michael challenged informing me that every email he obtained coming from pals in Russia said exclusively to inform me exactly how sorry they were that this happened, extending their condolences, as well as inquiring how I was actually carrying out. Vladimir taught me the Russian term for "acknowledgements" after consulting with the previous CDR, Yuri Usachev, on the phone in Superstar Area. (Both the Russian and also the English terms are considerably too long to verbalize conveniently.) Extremely kind folks.For the last two days, the Russian MCC has sufficed to send real-time broadcasts of radio headlines about the event and also associated accounts, to see to it I was actually properly notified. Every professional that has started the line to discuss a treatment or a problem contends some point extended introductions to me along with kind phrases. Tonight the Russian capcom informed our company that because of the special day of remembrance in the United States, throughout the day individuals had actually been actually carrying blossoms and also edging all the walls of the US consulate in Moscow, as well as this night they were actually igniting candle lights in the street outside the consular office. How the globe has actually altered.Folks almost everywhere seem to acknowledge the senselessness and also horror in this particular strike. And the tremendous reduction. Moscow has coped with these sort of complications in the final handful of years along with apartment as well as metro bombings, so they are actually as distressed to do away with this hazard as our experts are. But the bottom series is that there are actually good individuals anywhere that would like to live in tranquility. I check out that a little one talked to, "The United States is actually so really good to other countries, our team constantly help every person, just how can they despise our team a lot?".I hope the example of participation and depend on that this spacecraft plus all people in the plan demonstrate daily are going to one day encourage the remainder of the planet to work the same way. They must!However, our team won't be piloting over the US while folks are igniting candlesticks. Don't know if our experts might find that in any case. We carried out, however, see a quite uncommon and beautiful view a couple of minutes ago: the launch of our Docking Chamber on a Soyuz booster. Our experts were eclipsing it and it emerged concerning 3 moments after its launch coming from Baikonur as the sunshine reached our terminal, so it was still at night. It appeared like a big comet with a right, broad rear silhouetted against the darker earth beneath. Despite some negative lighting fixtures for some time as the sunshine struck our window at a reduced perspective, I took care of some video of it as first our experts passed the spacecraft, and then enjoyed it start to mesmerize as it obtained height and also rate. I recorded until major motor cutoff and also booster separation occurred equally as our company moved toward dawn on the Mountain ranges. An extraordinary attraction in a memorable week ...Life happens, also in space. We are actually below to remain ... Frank.