.Editor's Note: The following is the text of a character coming from Exploration 3 Leader Frank L. Culbertson (Leader, USN Retired), reflecting on the occasions of September 11.September 12, 2001 7:34 p.m.I have not composed very much concerning specifics of this particular purpose during the month I have actually been right here, mostly for 2 explanations: the initial being actually that there has been actually extremely little bit of opportunity to accomplish that kind of creating, and also furthermore, because I'm uncertain exactly how comfy I am sharing notions I show family and friends along with the rest of the globe.Effectively, undoubtedly the planet altered today. What I say or even do is actually incredibly small contrasted to the implication of what occurred to our country today when it was attacked through ... by whom? Terrorists is actually all we understand, I think. Hard to understand at whom to drive our rage and also worry ...I had only ended up an amount of activities today, one of the most time-consuming being actually the physical exams of all workers members. In a personal conversation observing that, the air travel doctor told me they were possessing an incredibly negative time on the ground. I had no idea ...He described the scenario to me as best he knew it at ~ 0900 CDT. I was amazed, then alarmed. My initial thought was actually that this wasn't a genuine discussion, that I was still listening closely to some of my Tom Clancy strips. It just failed to seem to be possible on this scale in our nation. I couldn't even think of the details, also before the news of further damage began coming in.Vladimir visited fairly promptly, noticing that one thing extremely serious was actually being actually explained. I swayed Michael into the component too. They were additionally astonished and stunned. After our company signed off, I attempted to explain to Vladimir and also Michael as finest I might the prospective size of this particular act of horror in downtown Manhattan and also at the Government. They clearly recognized as well as were extremely supportive.I glanced at the World Map on the personal computer to see where over the world our company were actually and saw that our team were actually happening southeast away from Canada and will be actually passing over New England in a handful of moments. I zoomed around the station until I located a window that would offer me a sight of NYC as well as grabbed the closest cam. It happened to become a video camera, as well as I was actually looking southern from the window of Michael's cabin.The smoke seemed to possess a strange flower to it at the base of the column that was streaming south of the city. After going through one of the newspaper article our experts just received, I believe our team were actually taking a look at NY around the time of, or soon after, the crash of the 2nd tower. How unpleasant ...I scanned the cam during the East Shore to the south to view if I could possibly see every other smoke around Washington, or anywhere else, however nothing showed up.It was actually fairly tough to think about work after that, though our company possessed some to carry out, but on the next track our company crossed the US additional south. All 3 of us were working one or two cams to try to receive perspectives of New york city or Washington. There was haze over Washington, yet no certain source might be seen. It all appeared amazing from 2 to 3 hundred kilometers away. I can not envision the tragic scenes on the ground.Aside from the emotional effect of our country being actually attacked as well as countless our people as well as perhaps some friends being killed, the absolute most difficult sensation being where I am is one of isolation.Upcoming day ... I suppose the exhaustion as well as psychological strain got the best of me. I could not stay awake and remain to create. Today was actually still tough, however our company started receiving more details, plus our experts possessed the tribute of talking straight with the Facility Director, Roy Estess, who assured our team that the ground staffs would certainly remain to function and ensure our safety, as well as the secure operation of the Station. We likewise spoke with our Supervisor, Mr. Goldin, who incorporated that the companions in the Course are actually all totally devoted to continuing risk-free functions and also help. These were never ever questions for me. I understand all these individuals! The ground staffs have been actually extremely supportive, quite understanding of the influence of the information, as well as have tried to be as helpful as possible. They have actually all been actually incredibly specialist as well as focused though I can not imagine the distraction of this particular type of updates being available in and the thought that federal government structures might be in jeopardy. They never ever skipped a beat, even when moving control centers. And a team of elderly employees and also pals provided our company a pretty extensive rundown about what was understood as well as what was actually being actually done in the authorities and also at NASA on Tuesday mid-day, which was actually incredibly practical and also sort of all of them to accomplish in the midst of all the chaos. The Russian TsUP has actually likewise been supportive as well as valuable, attempting to uplink newspaper article when our personal properties were actually unusable, as well as pointing out kind words ...My crewmates have actually been excellent, as well. They know it is actually been actually a tough day for me and the individuals on the ground, as well as they have actually attempted to become as also keeled as well as valuable as feasible. Michael even corrected me my favored Borscht soup for supper. And also they provide me lots of space to think when I required it. They are quite compassionate and also certainly shocked at whoever would certainly perform this.I understand numerous people in Washington, plenty of people who journey to DC and New York City, many that are actually aviators, that I felt sure I will receive at least a handful of parts of problem over the upcoming handful of times. I obtained the 1st one today when I found out that the Captain of the American Airlines plane that struck the Government was Chic Burlingame, a classmate of mine. I came across Chic in the course of plebe summer months when we remained in the D&B together, as well as our team possessed bunches of lessons all together. I can not imagine what he must of experienced, as well as currently I listen to that he may possess increased better than we can also think of through possibly stopping his airplane from being the one to tackle the White House. What a dreadful reduction, yet I make certain Chic was actually fighting fearlessly throughout. And also rips don't circulate the same precede ...It is actually complicated to illustrate exactly how it really feels to become the only United States totally off the planet at once such as this. The sensation that I need to be there along with each one of you, handling this, helping somehow, is actually frustrating. I understand that our team get on the limit (or even beyond) of a dreadful change in the past of the planet. Several factors are going to never coincide once again after September 11, 2001. Not simply for the manies thousand and also lots of individuals straight affected through these horrendous process of violence, yet most likely for we all. Our experts will locate ourselves feeling differently regarding lots of traits, including possibly space expedition, sadly.It is actually horrendous to observe smoke cigarettes putting coming from wounds in your personal nation from such an awesome perspective. The dichotomy of performing a space capsule devoted to boosting everyday life on the earth as well as checking out life being actually ruined by such witting, awful process is actually jolting to the mind, despite who you are actually. As well as the expertise that everything will definitely be actually various than when our team launched by the time our team land is a little disconcerting. I believe in our country as well as in our leadership that we will perform every thing possible to better guard her and also our loved ones, and also to bring justice for what has actually been actually performed. I possess confidence that the really good people at NASA will definitely perform whatever essential to continue our mission properly and also return our team carefully at the correct time. And also I miss all of you very much. I can not be there with you in person, as well as we possess a very long way to visit accomplish our purpose, but be actually certain that my heart is with you, and know you are in my petitions.Humbly, Frank.September 14, 2001 10:49 p.m. An upgrade to the final character ... The good news is, it is actually been a busy full week up here. As well as to verify that, like our nation, we are actually continuing on our desired path along with service as usual (as long as feasible). Tonight the most up to date add-on to the place, the Russian Docking Area are going to be actually launched from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. On Sunday evening (US time), it will definitely dock with our team, at a port never used prior to on the low point side of the Service Module. This new element will certainly give our team an additional spot to dock a Development or even Soyuz as well as will definitely supply a big airlock along with pair of useable hatches for administering EVA's in Russian Orlan fits, which our team will definitely carry out a few of just before our company return.The issue before in taking care of today was inadequate headlines. The concern right now is excessive. It came all at once when email was recovered, as well as there is actually not enough time to review everything! Plus it is actually as well difficult to cope with all of it at the same time. But I cherish getting it, and I definitely enjoy the fantastic characters of support and also friendship I am acquiring.Our experts are prospering aboard, receiving our job performed, and speaking about traits. Final evening our experts had a lengthy conversation over dinner concerning the value of these celebrations, the possible actions to observe, and what should be performed. After supper, Michael challenged telling me that every email he received from friends in Russia stated specifically to inform me exactly how sorry they were that this taken place, stretching their condolences, and also asking just how I was doing. Vladimir instructed me the Russian term for "acknowledgements" after talking with the previous CDR, Yuri Usachev, on the phone in Star Metropolitan area. (Both the Russian and the English words are a lot extremely long to pronounce effortlessly.) Extremely kind people.For the last two days, the Russian MCC has actually been good enough to send live programs of broadcast headlines about the activity and also linked accounts, to be sure I was actually well notified. Every professional who has actually come on free throw line to explain a method or even a concern contends some factor stretched introductions to me along with kind words. Tonight the Russian capcom informed our team that due to the big day of recognition in the US, all the time people had been actually taking flowers and lining all the walls of the US embassy in Moscow, and this night they were igniting candle lights in the road outside the consular office. Exactly how the globe has modified.Individuals almost everywhere appear to acknowledge the senselessness and also horror in this particular strike. And the remarkable loss. Moscow has handled these sort of problems in the final couple of years along with condo and train bombings, so they are as nervous to do away with this risk as our team are actually. Yet all-time low product line is actually that there are good people all over who want to live in tranquility. I check out that a child talked to, "The United States is actually so excellent to other nations, our team regularly assist everybody, just how can they dislike us so much?".I wish the instance of cooperation as well as rely on that this space probe plus all individuals in the program show daily are going to one day influence the rest of the planet to work the same way. They must!Regrettably, we won't be actually flying over the US during the time folks are actually lighting candlesticks. Do not know if our team can find that in any case. We did, nonetheless, observe an extremely unusual as well as lovely view a couple of mins ago: the launch of our Docking Chamber on a Soyuz booster. Our experts were actually overtaking it and also it emerged concerning 3 mins after its launch from Baikonur as the sunlight struck our terminal, so it was still unaware. It appeared like a huge comet along with a right, wide tail silhouetted versus the darker planet beneath. Despite some negative lighting for some time as the sunlight attacked our home window at a reduced angle, I handled some online video of it as initially our company passed the rocket, and after that saw it begin to mesmerize as it got height and speed. I shot up until principal motor cutoff and booster splitting up happened just like our experts came close to dawn on the Mountain ranges. A memorable view in an extraordinary week ...Life goes on, even precede. Our experts are actually below to remain ... Frank.