.Editor's Note: The following is the text message of a character coming from Expedition Three Commander Frank L. Culbertson (Captain, USN Retired), reflecting on the activities of September 11.September 12, 2001 7:34 p.m.I haven't created significantly about specifics of the purpose in the course of the month I have actually been actually here, primarily for two main reasons: the first being actually that there has actually been actually very little time to do that type of composing, as well as furthermore, due to the fact that I'm unsure how comfortable I am sharing ideas I show friends and family with the rest of the world.Properly, definitely the globe altered today. What I say or even do is quite minor contrasted to the value of what occurred to our nation today when it was actually struck by ... by whom? Terrorists is actually all we understand, I guess. Difficult to recognize at whom to point our rage as well as anxiety ...I had actually only finished a number of tasks this morning, the best time-consuming being the physical examinations of all crew members. In an exclusive conversation complying with that, the tour surgeon informed me they were possessing an extremely poor time on the ground. I had no suggestion ...He explained the condition to me as greatest he knew it at ~ 0900 CDT. I was thrown for a loop, then terrified. My first thought and feelings was actually that this had not been a true discussion, that I was actually still listening closely to among my Tom Clancy tapes. It simply failed to appear feasible on this scale in our country. I couldn't also think of the details, even before the updates of more damage began being available in.Vladimir came by fairly rapidly, noticing that one thing incredibly major was actually being covered. I swung Michael in to the module too. They were actually additionally blown away as well as stunned. After our team signed off, I attempted to explain to Vladimir and Michael as absolute best I can the prospective enormity of this act of terror in midtown Manhattan as well as at the Government. They clearly comprehended as well as were very thoughtful.I browsed the Planet Chart on the computer system to view where over the globe we were as well as discovered that our company were happening southeast away from Canada and also will be actually overlooking New England in a handful of minutes. I zoomed around the station till I located a home window that will give me a view of NYC and nabbed the closest electronic camera. It occurred to be a video camera, and I was actually looking southern from the home window of Michael's cabin.The smoke cigarettes seemed to have an odd flower to it at the foundation of the pillar that was actually streaming south of the metropolitan area. After checking out some of the newspaper article our team merely obtained, I believe we were actually considering NY around the amount of time of, or soon after, the collapse of the 2nd tower. Exactly how terrible ...I swept the electronic camera during the East Shore to the south to observe if I can view some other smoke around Washington, or anywhere else, however absolutely nothing was visible.It was actually pretty tough to deal with job after that, though our team had some to perform, but on the upcoming track we moved across the US further southern. All 3 people were actually operating one or two cams to make an effort to obtain viewpoints of The big apple or even Washington. There was actually fog over Washington, however no particular source could be viewed. Everything appeared incredible coming from a couple of hundred kilometers away. I can not envision the terrible settings on the ground.Besides the emotional influence of our country being attacked and hundreds of our people and perhaps some buddies being actually gotten rid of, the absolute most overwhelming sensation being actually where I am is among isolation.Next time ... I reckon the fatigue as well as psychological tension received the most effective of me. I could not stay awake and also remain to create. Today was still hard, however we began receiving even more info, plus our team possessed the tribute of chatting straight along with the Center Director, Roy Estess, that guaranteed our team that the ground staffs will continue to operate as well as ensure our security, as well as the risk-free function of the Station. Our company also talked to our Supervisor, Mr. Goldin, that added that the companions in the Program are all completely committed to carrying on safe functions and also assistance. These were certainly never questions for me. I know all these people! The ground staffs have actually been actually unbelievably supportive, quite understanding of the effect of the information, and also have actually made an effort to be as helpful as feasible. They have actually all been actually really specialist and focused though I can't visualize the distraction of this form of headlines being available in and the thought and feelings that authorities properties could be in danger. They certainly never skipped a beat, also when transferring control centers. As well as a group of elderly employees and pals gave us a rather in depth briefing about what was recognized and also what was actually being performed in the federal government as well as at NASA on Tuesday afternoon, which was incredibly beneficial as well as type of them to accomplish in the middle of all the turmoil. The Russian TsUP has likewise been actually supportive and also handy, trying to uplink news articles when our very own possessions were actually unusable, as well as claiming kind terms ...My crewmates have actually been excellent, also. They understand it's been a tough day for me as well as the individuals on the ground, and also they have actually made an effort to be as also keeled and helpful as feasible. Michael even repaired me my beloved Borscht soup for dinner. And also they offer me lots of area to assume when I required it. They are really supportive and certainly outraged at whoever would perform this.I understand plenty of folks in Washington, many people who travel to DC and also New York City, so many who are actually flies, that I really felt sure I would acquire at the very least a couple of parts of problem over the upcoming handful of days. I obtained the 1st one today when I found out that the Leader of the American Airlines jet that attacked the Government was Chic Burlingame, a friend of mine. I found Chic throughout cadet summer when our team were in the D&B with each other, as well as our company had lots of training class with each other. I can't envision what he has to of gone through, and also currently I listen to that he may possess increased even further than our team may even think about by possibly stopping his plane from being actually the one to attack the White Property. What an awful reduction, but I make sure Chic was fighting bravely to the end. As well as rips do not flow the exact same precede ...It's tough to illustrate how it really feels to become the only American entirely off the world at a time including this. The emotion that I should be there with each one of you, taking care of this, helping somehow, is frustrating. I know that we perform the threshold (or even past) of a dreadful shift in the record of the planet. Several factors are going to certainly never coincide again after September 11, 2001. Certainly not just for the manies thousand and countless folks straight affected by these horrible process of terrorism, yet probably for all of us. Our company are going to find our own selves feeling in different ways concerning lots of factors, consisting of most likely room exploration, unfortunately.It is actually unpleasant to view smoke cigarettes pouring coming from cuts in your personal country coming from such a great viewpoint. The dichotomy of performing a space probe committed to enhancing life on the earth as well as enjoying life being destroyed through such intentional, dreadful actions is actually jolting to the mind, despite that you are. And also the know-how that every little thing will be actually different than when we released due to the time our team land is a little disconcerting. I have confidence in our country as well as in our leadership that our company will perform every little thing possible to better defend her and also our families, and also to deliver justice of what has been actually done. I possess confidence that the really good folks at NASA will certainly do every little thing essential to continue our objective carefully and also return our company properly at the correct time. And also I skip all of you quite. I can't exist with you in person, and we possess a very long way to go to complete our goal, but be actually specific that my center is along with you, and understand you reside in my petitions.Humbly, Frank.September 14, 2001 10:49 p.m. An upgrade to the last character ... Thankfully, it's been actually an occupied full week up right here. And to confirm that, like our nation, our company are continuing on our desired course with business as usual (as long as possible). Tonight the most recent addition to the station, the Russian Docking Compartment are going to be released from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. On Sunday night (United States time), it will dock along with our team, at a slot certainly never made use of prior to on the low point edge of the Service Element. This brand new module will offer our team an additional spot to dock a Development or Soyuz as well as will give a big airlock along with pair of able to be used hatches for carrying out EVA's in Russian Orlan matches, which our experts are going to perform a few of just before our experts get back.The problem before in handling this week was insufficient news. The problem today is actually excessive. It arrived at one time when email was recovered, and also there is actually insufficient time to review it all! Plus it is actually also challenging to cope with all of it immediately. But I cherish receiving it, and also I definitely value the fantastic characters of support and relationship I am actually getting.We are actually succeeding on board, receiving our job carried out, and talking about traits. Final evening our team had a lengthy dialogue over dinner about the significance of these events, the possible activities to follow, as well as what must be done. After supper, Michael made a point of informing me that every email he got from pals in Russia pointed out exclusively to tell me exactly how regretful they were actually that this occurred, prolonging their acknowledgements, as well as talking to how I was doing. Vladimir showed me the Russian phrase for "acknowledgements" after speaking to the previous CDR, Yuri Usachev, on the phone in Superstar Area. (Both the Russian and also the English words are a lot too long to articulate simply.) Quite type individuals.For the last two days, the Russian MCC has actually sufficed to transmit live broadcasts of radio news regarding the celebration as well as connected tales, to be sure I was actually well notified. Every expert who has begun the line to review a procedure or a problem has at some aspect prolonged introductions to me along with kind terms. Tonight the Russian capcom informed our company that due to the wedding day of recognition in the US, all the time people had been bringing flowers and also edging all the walls of the US consular office in Moscow, as well as this evening they were actually igniting candle lights in the street outside the consulate. Just how the globe has modified.Folks everywhere appear to realize the senselessness as well as scary within this assault. And the incredible loss. Moscow has actually managed these kind of troubles in the final few years with apartment and train battles, so they are as distressed to get rid of this hazard as our team are actually. But the bottom series is that there are good folks just about everywhere that desire to live in peace. I check out that a youngster talked to, "United States is so really good to various other nations, we constantly assist everyone, how can they hate us a great deal?".I really hope the instance of collaboration and also trust fund that this spacecraft and all individuals in the plan demonstrate daily will sooner or later influence the rest of the planet to function similarly. They must!Regrettably, our experts won't be flying over the United States while individuals are actually igniting candlesticks. Do not recognize if we could possibly observe that in any case. Our experts did, nonetheless, see an extremely unusual and beautiful sight a couple of minutes ago: the launch of our Docking Area on a Soyuz booster. Our company were surpassing it and it came into view about three mins after its launch coming from Baikonur as the sun reached our terminal, so it was still at night. It looked like a sizable comet along with a straight, wide tail silhouetted against the black world below. Despite some bad lighting for some time as the sunshine reached our window at a reduced angle, I handled some video clip of it as first our team passed the spacecraft, and after that watched it begin to catch up as it gained elevation and speed. I recorded up until major motor deadline and also booster splitting up took place just as our company came close to sunup on the Mountain ranges. A remarkable view in a memorable week ...Life happens, even precede. Our company are actually right here to keep ... Frank.