.Publisher's Details: The following is actually the content of a character coming from Expedition Three Commander Frank L. Culbertson (Leader, USN Resigned), assessing the celebrations of September 11.September 12, 2001 7:34 p.m.I have not created significantly concerning specifics of this goal during the course of the month I've been listed below, generally for pair of explanations: the 1st being that there has actually been actually quite little bit of opportunity to perform that type of creating, as well as second of all because I'm not sure exactly how pleasant I am sharing ideas I show to family and friends with the remainder of the globe.Well, undoubtedly the planet transformed today. What I say or even carry out is incredibly small contrasted to the implication of what occurred to our nation today when it was attacked by ... by whom? Terrorists is all we know, I reckon. Hard to understand at whom to route our anger and also fear ...I had merely completed a lot of duties today, one of the most time-consuming being actually the physical exams of all crew participants. In a private talk observing that, the air travel specialist informed me they were possessing a quite negative time on the ground. I possessed no idea ...He explained the situation to me as absolute best he knew it at ~ 0900 CDT. I was shocked, after that terrified. My initial thought and feelings was actually that this had not been a genuine discussion, that I was still listening to one of my Tom Clancy tapes. It merely failed to seem feasible on this scale in our nation. I couldn't also think of the details, also before the information of additional damage began coming in.Vladimir dropped in pretty swiftly, sensing that something extremely major was being actually reviewed. I swayed Michael in to the module too. They were likewise amazed and stunned. After our company authorized off, I attempted to clarify to Vladimir and also Michael as ideal I could the potential measurement of this act of terror in downtown New york and at the Government. They plainly knew and were actually incredibly sympathetic.I browsed the Planet Map on the personal computer to view where over the planet our company were and discovered that our company were coming southeast out of Canada as well as will be skipping New England in a handful of moments. I zoomed around the terminal till I discovered a window that would certainly provide me a view of New York City and grabbed the local electronic camera. It occurred to become a video camera, and I was actually appearing southern coming from the window of Michael's log cabin.The smoke seemed to be to possess an odd flower to it at the bottom of the column that was actually streaming south of the metropolitan area. After going through some of the news articles our experts merely got, I think our team were checking out NY around the amount of time of, or even shortly after, the crash of the second high rise. How unpleasant ...I panned the electronic camera the whole time the East Shoreline to the south to find if I could find any other smoke around Washington, or anywhere else, but absolutely nothing was visible.It was quite complicated to think of job afterwards, though our company had some to accomplish, but on the next orbit we traversed the United States further southern. All three of us were functioning 1 or 2 cameras to make an effort to acquire scenery of The big apple or Washington. There was fog over Washington, yet no details source might be viewed. All of it appeared fabulous coming from a couple of hundred miles away. I can't picture the awful scenes on the ground.Other than the psychological impact of our nation being actually attacked as well as lots of our residents and maybe some close friends being actually gotten rid of, the best difficult feeling being actually where I am is just one of isolation.Following time ... I think the exhaustion and also psychological strain got the most ideal of me. I couldn't stay awake as well as remain to write. Today was actually still tough, however we started getting additional relevant information, plus our company possessed the respect of talking straight along with the Facility Supervisor, Roy Estess, who ensured our team that the ground staffs would certainly remain to function as well as guarantee our safety and security, and also the risk-free operation of the Place. Our experts also talked to our Administrator, Mr. Goldin, that incorporated that the partners in the System are actually all completely committed to proceeding risk-free operations and assistance. These were never questions for me. I recognize all these individuals! The ground groups have actually been actually surprisingly supportive, quite understanding of the influence of the news, as well as have actually made an effort to be as handy as possible. They have all been actually really qualified as well as centered though I can't envision the diversion of this sort of updates coming in and the notion that authorities structures might be at risk. They certainly never skipped a beat, even when transferring control centers. And a team of senior workers and also buddies gave our company a quite detailed rundown on what was actually recognized and what was actually being performed in the authorities and at NASA on Tuesday mid-day, which was actually extremely practical and also kind of them to do in the middle of all the chaos. The Russian TsUP has actually likewise been actually supporting as well as valuable, attempting to uplink newspaper article when our own assets were actually unusable, as well as saying kind words ...My crewmates have been terrific, also. They know it is actually been a tough day for me as well as the folks on the ground, as well as they've tried to be as also keeled as well as handy as feasible. Michael also corrected me my favorite Borscht soup for dinner. And they provide me loads of room to presume when I needed it. They are actually quite understanding and also of course outraged at whoever will do this.I know a lot of folks in Washington, so many people who travel to DC and New York City, so many who are actually captains, that I felt certain I would certainly receive at least a handful of items of bad news over the next few days. I obtained the very first one today when I learned that the Captain of the American Airlines plane that hit the Government was Chic Burlingame, a classmate of mine. I encountered Chic throughout plebe summer season when our experts remained in the D&B all together, and our company had bunches of lessons all together. I can't envision what he has to of undergone, as well as right now I hear that he may possess climbed even further than our team can easily even think about by possibly avoiding his plane coming from being the one to deal with the White Home. What a terrible reduction, but I make sure Chic was actually fighting fearlessly to the end. As well as tears don't flow the same in space ...It's challenging to define how it experiences to be the only American completely off the earth at once including this. The emotion that I ought to exist along with all of you, managing this, assisting in some way, is actually difficult. I understand that we are on the limit (or even past) of an awful shift in the past of the world. Many things are going to certainly never coincide again after September 11, 2001. Not just for the thousands and also 1000s of individuals directly impacted through these horrible acts of terrorism, yet most likely for everyone. Our team will find ourselves experiencing differently concerning loads of things, featuring possibly area exploration, sadly.It's horrible to observe smoke cigarettes putting from wounds in your own nation coming from such a wonderful perspective. The duality of getting on a space probe dedicated to strengthening daily life on the earth as well as viewing lifestyle being damaged through such witting, terrible process is actually jolting to the subconscious, despite that you are actually. As well as the knowledge that whatever will certainly be different than when our company released by the time our team land is actually a little disconcerting. I have confidence in our nation as well as in our management that our experts will certainly carry out whatever achievable to much better protect her as well as our families, as well as to deliver justice for what has actually been performed. I possess assurance that the good individuals at NASA will definitely perform every little thing necessary to proceed our mission securely and also return our company safely at the correct time. And also I miss each of you very much. I can't be there along with you personally, as well as our experts possess a very long way to visit accomplish our objective, however be specific that my heart is along with you, as well as recognize you reside in my requests.Humbly, Frank.September 14, 2001 10:49 p.m. An upgrade to the final character ... The good news is, it's been an active full week up below. And also to prove that, like our country, our company are actually advancing our designated course with service customarily (as much as achievable). Tonight the most up to date addition to the place, the Russian Docking Chamber will definitely be actually introduced from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. On Sunday evening (United States opportunity), it will definitely dock along with our team, at a port never used just before on the low point side of the Solution Module. This brand new component will provide us yet another location to dock an Improvement or even Soyuz and will certainly supply a large airlock along with two useable hatches for administering EVA's in Russian Orlan meets, which we will definitely do a few of just before our company get back.The issue prior to in managing recently was insufficient news. The issue now is actually way too much. It came all at once when e-mail was actually repaired, and there is actually inadequate time to read it all! Plus it's too challenging to handle all of it instantly. However I enjoy acquiring it, and also I actually appreciate the fantastic characters of assistance and also friendship I am receiving.Our team are actually prospering on board, getting our work done, and also speaking about traits. Last night we had a long dialogue over supper regarding the importance of these activities, the feasible actions to follow, as well as what must be actually carried out. After supper, Michael challenged telling me that every e-mail he acquired from buddies in Russia mentioned specifically to tell me just how regretful they were that this taken place, stretching their acknowledgements, and also asking exactly how I was carrying out. Vladimir showed me the Russian term for "condolences" after talking to the previous CDR, Yuri Usachev, on the phone in Star Urban area. (Both the Russian as well as the English terms are much too long to articulate quickly.) Quite kind folks.For the last 2 days, the Russian MCC has sufficed to transfer real-time programs of radio information regarding the occasion and affiliated accounts, to make sure I was actually effectively notified. Every expert who has started free throw line to review an operation or even a problem has at some factor prolonged hellos to me with kind terms. Tonight the Russian capcom informed our team that due to the special day of recognition in the US, all day individuals had actually been actually delivering flowers and also lining all the walls of the United States embassy in Moscow, as well as this evening they were actually igniting candles in the road outside the consular office. Exactly how the planet has altered.Folks anywhere appear to identify the senselessness and also terror in this particular strike. As well as the incredible reduction. Moscow has actually coped with these sort of troubles in the final handful of years with home and train bombings, so they are actually as troubled to eliminate this risk as our experts are. Yet all-time low collection is actually that there are actually excellent people almost everywhere that desire to stay in tranquility. I read that a child talked to, "The United States is so great to various other countries, our team consistently aid everyone, how can they despise us a lot?".I really hope the instance of cooperation and trust that this space probe and all people in the plan illustrate daily will one day motivate the remainder of the globe to work similarly. They must!Regrettably, our team won't be actually flying over the United States while individuals are actually lighting candlesticks. Don't know if our team could possibly find that anyway. Our company performed, nonetheless, view an incredibly unusual as well as lovely sight a few moments ago: the launch of our Docking Compartment on a Soyuz enhancer. Our team were actually surpassing it and it came into view concerning 3 minutes after its launch coming from Baikonur as the sunshine struck our station, so it was actually still in the dark. It looked like a big comet with a straight, wide tail silhouetted versus the black planet beneath. Regardless of some negative lights for a while as the sunlight struck our home window at a reduced viewpoint, I handled some online video of it as initially our experts passed the spacecraft, and after that watched it start to catch up as it acquired elevation and also rate. I filmed till main motor deadline as well as enhancer separation occurred equally we moved toward dawn on the Mountain ranges. An extraordinary attraction in an extraordinary week ...Lifestyle goes on, even precede. We are actually below to stay ... Frank.