.Editor's Note: The adhering to is actually the text of a letter from Exploration Three Leader Frank L. Culbertson (Leader, USN Resigned), assessing the celebrations of September 11.September 12, 2001 7:34 p.m.I haven't created quite about specifics of this goal in the course of the month I have actually been actually right here, primarily for pair of reasons: the 1st being that there has actually been very little bit of opportunity to carry out that sort of composing, and furthermore, given that I'm uncertain how comfortable I am actually sharing thoughts I show to friends and family with the remainder of the planet.Effectively, definitely the planet altered today. What I state or carry out is incredibly slight reviewed to the value of what happened to our country today when it was actually attacked through ... by whom? Revolutionaries is all we know, I reckon. Hard to recognize at whom to guide our anger and concern ...I had actually simply ended up an amount of duties this morning, the most lengthy being actually the physical exams of all staff members. In an exclusive chat adhering to that, the flight specialist told me they were actually having an extremely poor day on the ground. I possessed no idea ...He described the circumstance to me as finest he understood it at ~ 0900 CDT. I was actually made speechless, at that point alarmed. My 1st thought was that this had not been an actual talk, that I was actually still listening closely to some of my Tom Clancy tapes. It simply didn't appear possible on this scale in our nation. I could not even visualize the particulars, also before the headlines of additional devastation started being available in.Vladimir came by rather promptly, picking up that something really major was actually being discussed. I swayed Michael in to the element too. They were also blown away and also stunned. After we signed off, I made an effort to reveal to Vladimir and Michael as greatest I could the prospective magnitude of this particular show of terror in downtown New york as well as at the Pentagon. They plainly understood and also were quite supportive.I eyed the World Chart on the pc to view where over the world our experts were as well as observed that our team were coming southeast away from Canada and would be skipping New England in a few mins. I zipped around the terminal till I discovered a window that will offer me a perspective of New York City and also grabbed the closest electronic camera. It occurred to become a video camera, as well as I was appearing southern coming from the window of Michael's log cabin.The smoke cigarettes appeared to possess an odd flower to it at the foundation of the pillar that was actually streaming south of the metropolitan area. After going through some of the news articles our experts just received, I feel we were examining NY around the time of, or even soon after, the crash of the second high rise. How horrendous ...I panned the cam the whole time the East Coast to the south to observe if I might observe some other smoke cigarettes around Washington, or anywhere else, however nothing showed up.It was actually fairly complicated to consider job afterwards, though our experts possessed some to do, but on the following orbit our team traversed the United States more southern. All three of us were functioning a couple of electronic cameras to make an effort to obtain views of Nyc or even Washington. There was haze over Washington, but no particular resource could be seen. Everything looked incredible from 2 to 3 hundred miles away. I can not envision the tragic settings on the ground.Aside from the emotional impact of our nation being actually tackled and also thousands of our people and also possibly some good friends being actually gotten rid of, one of the most overwhelming sensation being where I am actually is just one of solitude.Following time ... I presume the fatigue as well as emotional pressure got the most effective of me. I could not remain awake as well as remain to compose. Today was actually still difficult, yet we started getting additional relevant information, plus we possessed the respect of talking directly along with the Center Director, Roy Estess, who ensured us that the ground crews will remain to function and guarantee our safety, and also the secure function of the Place. Our team additionally talked to our Supervisor, Mr. Goldin, who incorporated that the companions in the Plan are all completely dedicated to continuing risk-free operations and support. These were actually certainly never inquiries for me. I recognize all these people! The ground groups have been actually exceptionally supporting, extremely understanding of the impact of the news, and also have actually tried to become as handy as feasible. They have all been incredibly professional and also concentrated though I can not think of the interruption of this kind of updates coming in and also the idea that government properties may be vulnerable. They never ever missed a beat, also when transferring control centers. And a group of senior employees and also friends gave our team a rather extensive rundown about what was actually understood as well as what was actually being performed in the federal government and at NASA on Tuesday mid-day, which was actually very helpful as well as type of all of them to do in the middle of all the distress. The Russian TsUP has likewise been actually helpful as well as practical, trying to uplink news articles when our very own assets were actually unusable, and also stating kind terms ...My crewmates have been great, as well. They understand it's been actually a challenging time for me and the folks on the ground, and also they have actually made an effort to be as also keeled as well as valuable as feasible. Michael also corrected me my beloved Borscht soup for supper. As well as they offer me lots of area to presume when I needed it. They are incredibly supportive as well as certainly outraged at whoever would perform this.I know plenty of individuals in Washington, a lot of individuals that travel to DC and NYC, many who are captains, that I experienced certain I would get at the very least a few parts of bad news over the following handful of days. I acquired the initial one today when I learned that the Leader of the American Airlines plane that reached the Pentagon was Chic Burlingame, a schoolmate of mine. I met Chic during plebe summertime when we were in the D&B with each other, as well as our team had tons of courses with each other. I can not imagine what he needs to of looked at, and currently I listen to that he may have increased better than our team can even think about through possibly preventing his aircraft coming from being the one to deal with the White Home. What an awful reduction, yet I make certain Chic was fighting fearlessly to the end. And also splits do not stream the very same precede ...It's hard to define how it feels to become the only American totally off the earth each time like this. The emotion that I should exist along with each one of you, managing this, helping in some way, is overwhelming. I know that our company perform the threshold (or even beyond) of a horrendous change in the past history of the world. A lot of factors will definitely never ever be the same once more after September 11, 2001. Not simply for the 1000s and also hundreds of people directly affected by these horrible actions of terrorism, yet most likely for everyone. Our company will discover ourselves really feeling in a different way regarding dozens of things, including possibly space exploration, unfortunately.It is actually terrible to see smoke pouring from wounds in your very own country from such an amazing perspective. The dichotomy of performing a space probe devoted to improving life on the planet as well as seeing life being actually destroyed by such intentional, awful acts is jolting to the psyche, regardless of who you are actually. As well as the know-how that everything will be different than when our company released by the opportunity our company land is a little bit of disconcerting. I believe in our country and in our leadership that our company will carry out everything possible to much better defend her and also our households, and to take compensation wherefore has actually been done. I possess peace of mind that the excellent individuals at NASA will perform every little thing essential to continue our objective securely as well as return us safely and securely at the right time. And also I skip every one of you very much. I can't exist with you in person, and our experts possess a very long way to go to accomplish our purpose, yet be actually certain that my soul is actually along with you, and understand you reside in my requests.Humbly, Frank.September 14, 2001 10:49 p.m. An improve to the last character ... Luckily, it's been an active full week up listed below. And also to prove that, like our country, we are actually continuing our intended path along with organization customarily (as long as feasible). Tonight the latest addition to the station, the Russian Docking Compartment will be released from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. On Sunday night (United States opportunity), it is going to dock along with us, at a port certainly never utilized just before on the nadir edge of the Company Component. This new element will definitely provide our team yet another area to dock an Improvement or even Soyuz as well as are going to deliver a big airlock with two able to be used hatches for administering EVA's in Russian Orlan meets, which our team will certainly carry out a few of just before we return.The problem just before in taking care of today was inadequate news. The complication now is a lot of. It arrived all at once when e-mail was restored, and there's not nearly enough opportunity to review everything! Plus it is actually also tough to deal with all of it simultaneously. But I appreciate getting it, as well as I definitely cherish the terrific letters of assistance and friendly relationship I am acquiring.We are actually flourishing aboard, receiving our job performed, and discussing things. Last night our company possessed a long conversation over supper about the implication of these celebrations, the possible activities to comply with, as well as what must be actually done. After dinner, Michael made a point of telling me that every e-mail he acquired coming from good friends in Russia stated particularly to inform me just how regretful they were actually that this happened, extending their acknowledgements, and also talking to how I was actually doing. Vladimir taught me the Russian phrase for "acknowledgements" after speaking to the previous CDR, Yuri Usachev, on the phone in Star City. (Both the Russian as well as the English words are considerably very lengthy to articulate easily.) Quite types people.For the final two times, the Russian MCC has been good enough to transfer online broadcasts of broadcast information concerning the celebration as well as linked stories, to see to it I was actually properly notified. Every expert that has begun the line to explain an operation or even a complication contends some aspect stretched greetings to me along with kind words. Tonight the Russian capcom informed our team that due to the wedding of remembrance in the United States, all the time people had been carrying flowers and also edging all the walls of the United States consular office in Moscow, and also this evening they were actually igniting candle lights in the road outside the consulate. How the globe has actually transformed.Folks anywhere seem to recognize the senselessness and terror in this particular assault. And the incredible loss. Moscow has managed these type of troubles in the final couple of years with flat as well as subway battles, so they are actually as troubled to remove this risk as we are actually. However all-time low line is actually that there are actually excellent folks almost everywhere that desire to stay in tranquility. I go through that a youngster inquired, "United States is therefore good to other nations, our experts always assist everybody, just how can they dislike our company so much?".I hope the instance of teamwork as well as trust fund that this space capsule and all the people in the program demonstrate daily are going to one day influence the remainder of the world to function similarly. They must!Unfortunately, our team won't be actually flying over the US while folks are actually igniting candles. Don't know if our company could find that anyway. Our team performed, having said that, find a very uncommon and also stunning attraction a few minutes ago: the launch of our Docking Area on a Soyuz enhancer. Our experts were actually eclipsing it and it appeared concerning three minutes after its own launch coming from Baikonur as the sunlight struck our station, so it was actually still unaware. It appeared like a sizable comet along with a directly, broad rear silhouetted versus the dark planet underneath. Even with some poor lighting for a while as the sunshine attacked our window at a reduced perspective, I dealt with some video clip of it as initially our experts passed the rocket, and afterwards watched it start to catch up as it obtained elevation and rate. I recorded till major motor deadline as well as enhancer splitting up happened just as our team approached dawn on the Himalayas. An unforgettable view in a remarkable full week ...Lifestyle goes on, even in space. We are actually listed below to remain ... Frank.