.Publisher's Details: The complying with is actually the message of a character coming from Expedition 3 Leader Frank L. Culbertson (Leader, USN Retired), reviewing the events of September 11.September 12, 2001 7:34 p.m.I haven't composed significantly about specifics of this particular goal during the month I've been actually here, mainly for 2 factors: the 1st being actually that there has been actually very little time to do that sort of creating, and the second thing is due to the fact that I am actually uncertain just how relaxed I am actually sharing thoughts I show to friends and family with the remainder of the planet.Properly, definitely the world modified today. What I claim or even do is actually very small contrasted to the implication of what occurred to our country today when it was actually assaulted through ... by whom? Revolutionaries is all we know, I suspect. Tough to understand at whom to direct our rage and concern ...I had merely ended up a number of duties today, the best lengthy being actually the physical examinations of all crew members. In an exclusive talk following that, the tour doctor told me they were actually having an extremely poor day on the ground. I had no concept ...He explained the circumstance to me as absolute best he knew it at ~ 0900 CDT. I was actually dumbfounded, at that point frightened. My very first thought was that this wasn't a real conversation, that I was actually still listening to one of my Tom Clancy strips. It merely failed to seem to be possible on this incrustation in our country. I couldn't even think of the particulars, also before the information of more damage began coming in.Vladimir visited rather quickly, picking up that something very significant was being actually covered. I swung Michael right into the element as well. They were actually additionally astounded as well as stunned. After we signed off, I made an effort to discuss to Vladimir as well as Michael as ideal I could possibly the possible magnitude of this act of terror in downtown New york as well as at the Government. They plainly understood and also were actually extremely considerate.I browsed the Planet Map on the computer to observe where over the planet we were and also saw that our experts were coming southeast away from Canada and would certainly be overlooking New England in a couple of moments. I zoomed around the station up until I located a window that would certainly offer me a view of NYC as well as took hold of the local electronic camera. It happened to be a camera, and also I was actually looking southern from the home window of Michael's log cabin.The smoke cigarettes appeared to possess an odd flower to it at the base of the pillar that was actually streaming south of the city. After going through one of the newspaper article we just acquired, I think our company were actually examining NY around the moment of, or quickly after, the failure of the second tower. Just how terrible ...I swept the electronic camera the whole time the East Coastline to the south to view if I can see every other smoke around Washington, or even anywhere else, yet nothing at all showed up.It was actually quite tough to think of work after that, though we had some to accomplish, but on the next track our team crossed the US further southern. All three people were functioning 1 or 2 cams to try to get perspectives of Nyc or even Washington. There was fog over Washington, however no certain resource may be viewed. Everything appeared extraordinary coming from a couple of hundred kilometers away. I can not think of the terrible scenes on the ground.Other than the mental impact of our nation being attacked and countless our residents and also perhaps some pals being actually killed, one of the most frustrating feeling being actually where I am actually is one of seclusion.Next day ... I presume the tiredness and also emotional stress obtained the most effective of me. I could not stay awake and remain to create. Today was actually still difficult, however we started getting more relevant information, plus our experts possessed the tribute of speaking straight along with the Center Supervisor, Roy Estess, that guaranteed our company that the ground groups will continue to function and also guarantee our safety and security, along with the risk-free procedure of the Station. We also learnt through our Administrator, Mr. Goldin, that incorporated that the partners in the Course are all entirely devoted to carrying on risk-free procedures and help. These were never questions for me. I know all these individuals! The ground teams have actually been astonishingly supportive, really understanding of the effect of the updates, as well as have attempted to be as helpful as possible. They have all been actually really qualified and also focused though I can't imagine the diversion of this sort of headlines being available in as well as the thought and feelings that government buildings might be vulnerable. They never ever missed a beat, even when relocating control centers. And a group of elderly personnel as well as buddies gave our team a fairly comprehensive instruction on what was recognized and also what was actually being actually carried out in the authorities and also at NASA on Tuesday mid-day, which was really handy and also sort of all of them to carry out in the middle of all the chaos. The Russian TsUP has also been supportive as well as useful, trying to uplink newspaper article when our own assets were unusable, as well as stating kind phrases ...My crewmates have been actually great, also. They recognize it's been actually a challenging time for me and also the individuals on the ground, as well as they have actually tried to be as even keeled and useful as possible. Michael also repaired me my favored Borscht soup for supper. And they provide me lots of area to believe when I required it. They are quite supportive and certainly outraged at whoever will do this.I recognize numerous folks in Washington, a lot of folks who travel to DC and NYC, plenty of who are actually aviators, that I felt sure I will receive at the very least a couple of parts of problem over the next few days. I received the first one today when I discovered that the Leader of the American Airlines jet that struck the Government was actually Chic Burlingame, a friend of mine. I came across Chic during the course of plebe summertime when we were in the D&B together, as well as our company possessed lots of courses together. I can not visualize what he has to of undergone, as well as now I hear that he may possess increased further than our team can also think about by perhaps stopping his plane from being actually the one to tackle the White Property. What a horrendous loss, however I'm sure Chic was fighting bravely to the end. And also splits don't flow the exact same precede ...It is actually tough to explain how it experiences to become the only American fully off the world at once such as this. The sensation that I should exist along with each of you, managing this, assisting somehow, is actually mind-boggling. I recognize that our experts get on the limit (or even past) of a terrible switch in the past history of the world. Numerous factors will certainly never be the same once again after September 11, 2001. Certainly not simply for the manies thousand as well as 1000s of individuals directly influenced by these horrible acts of terrorism, yet most likely for we all. We will definitely discover our own selves really feeling in a different way about loads of factors, featuring perhaps area exploration, regrettably.It is actually dreadful to find smoke pouring from injuries in your very own nation coming from such a great angle. The duality of being on a space probe dedicated to boosting daily life on the planet and checking out lifestyle being damaged by such premeditated, dreadful actions is jolting to the psyche, despite who you are actually. As well as the expertise that every thing will be actually different than when our experts released by the time our experts land is a little disconcerting. I believe in our nation and also in our management that we will definitely perform every thing feasible to much better defend her as well as our households, and to deliver compensation for what has been actually performed. I possess assurance that the good individuals at NASA are going to perform everything important to proceed our mission securely as well as return our team carefully at the correct time. And also I skip each of you significantly. I can not exist along with you face to face, and our team have a long way to head to accomplish our mission, but be actually specific that my center is along with you, and recognize you reside in my prayers.Humbly, Frank.September 14, 2001 10:49 p.m. An update to the final letter ... Luckily, it's been actually a hectic week up below. And also to confirm that, like our country, our company are continuing our planned pathway along with company as usual (as high as achievable). Tonight the current add-on to the station, the Russian Docking Chamber are going to be released from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. On Saturday evening (US time), it will certainly dock along with us, at a port certainly never used prior to on the nadir side of the Company Element. This new module is going to give our team yet another spot to dock a Progress or even Soyuz and will give a big airlock along with 2 able to be used hatches for administering EVA's in Russian Orlan suits, which our company will certainly carry out a few of prior to our team get back.The complication prior to in managing recently was actually too little news. The trouble right now is actually too much. It came simultaneously when e-mail was restored, and there's not enough opportunity to review all of it! Plus it is actually also hard to deal with all of it at the same time. But I enjoy obtaining it, as well as I really cherish the wonderful letters of help and companionship I am actually getting.Our experts are prospering on board, acquiring our job carried out, and also speaking about factors. Final night we had a lengthy dialogue over supper regarding the importance of these activities, the feasible activities to follow, and also what must be actually done. After supper, Michael made a point of telling me that every e-mail he got from good friends in Russia said specifically to inform me just how regretful they were actually that this happened, extending their condolences, and inquiring 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 Superstar City. (Both the Russian as well as the English phrases are actually considerably extremely lengthy to articulate simply.) Really kind individuals.For the final pair of days, the Russian MCC has actually been good enough to broadcast online programs of broadcast news about the event and also associated stories, to see to it I was actually well educated. Every professional who has started free throw line to talk about a technique or even a concern has at some point extended greetings to me along with kind phrases. Tonight the Russian capcom told us that because of the big day of recognition in the US, all day individuals had actually been actually taking blossoms and also lining all the wall structures of the United States consulate in Moscow, and this night they were igniting candles in the road outside the embassy. How the planet has altered.Folks all over appear to identify the senselessness and horror in this particular attack. And the enormous loss. Moscow has taken care of these sort of issues in the final handful of years along with condo and metro bombings, so they are as troubled to get rid of this risk as our team are actually. But the bottom series is that there are actually excellent people anywhere that desire to stay in peace. I read that a youngster asked, "The United States is actually therefore great to various other nations, our experts regularly assist every person, just how can they dislike our team a great deal?".I wish the example of collaboration as well as leave that this space probe plus all people in the system demonstrate daily are going to one day motivate the remainder of the globe to function the same way. They must!Regrettably, our company will not be flighting over the United States while individuals are actually lighting candlesticks. Don't understand if our company could possibly observe that anyway. Our company did, nevertheless, view an incredibly uncommon and stunning view a few mins ago: the launch of our Docking Compartment on a Soyuz enhancer. Our experts were eclipsing it and it emerged about three mins after its own launch from Baikonur as the sunlight reached our station, so it was still unaware. It appeared like a sizable comet along with a directly, large rear silhouetted against the dark earth underneath. Regardless of some negative lights for a while as the sunshine hit our home window at a low position, I handled some video clip of it as first our company passed the spacecraft, and after that watched it start to catch up as it got elevation and rate. I filmed until principal engine deadline and also booster splitting up developed just like our experts approached sunrise on the Mountain ranges. A memorable view in a memorable full week ...Life takes place, even precede. We are actually listed below to keep ... Frank.