.Editor's Details: The following is actually the content of a letter from Trip Three Commander Frank L. Culbertson (Leader, USN Resigned), reviewing the activities of September 11.September 12, 2001 7:34 p.m.I have not composed quite about specifics of this purpose throughout the month I have actually been below, mainly for pair of causes: the first being that there has actually been actually extremely little bit of time to carry out that type of creating, and the second thing is due to the fact that I'm unsure exactly how comfortable I am actually discussing notions I provide family and friends with the remainder of the planet.Effectively, certainly the world modified today. What I point out or do is actually incredibly slight contrasted to the significance of what happened to our country today when it was actually struck by ... by whom? Revolutionaries is actually all we know, I suppose. Hard to understand at whom to guide our anger as well as fear ...I had actually only completed a lot of duties today, one of the most lengthy being the physical examinations of all crew members. In an exclusive talk complying with that, the flight surgeon told me they were actually possessing a very negative day on the ground. I possessed no idea ...He explained the scenario to me as absolute best he recognized it at ~ 0900 CDT. I was thrown for a loop, after that alarmed. My 1st thought and feelings was actually that this wasn't a genuine talk, that I was still paying attention to some of my Tom Clancy strips. It simply really did not seem achievable on this scale in our nation. I could not even envision the details, even prior to the headlines of additional destruction began coming in.Vladimir dropped in pretty rapidly, sensing that something extremely serious was actually being actually discussed. I swayed Michael into the module also. They were actually also blown away as well as stunned. After we authorized off, I attempted to discuss to Vladimir as well as Michael as greatest I could the prospective size of the show of horror in downtown New york and also at the Pentagon. They clearly understood and were actually very sympathetic.I browsed the Globe Map on the pc to find where over the globe our team were and discovered that our team were actually happening southeast out of Canada as well as would be overlooking New England in a handful of mins. I whized around the terminal till I located a window that will give me a scenery of New York City as well as ordered the nearby camera. It took place to become a camera, and also I was actually appearing south coming from the home window of Michael's cabin.The smoke seemed to possess a strange bloom to it at the base of the pillar that was actually streaming south of the area. After reading through among the newspaper article our experts merely received, I feel our experts were checking out NY around the time of, or quickly after, the failure of the 2nd high rise. Just how horrendous ...I panned the video camera the whole time the East Coastline to the south to view if I could possibly see any other smoke around Washington, or even anywhere else, but nothing at all was visible.It was actually fairly hard to think of job afterwards, though our experts possessed some to accomplish, however on the upcoming orbit our company crossed the United States additional south. All three of us were working a couple of electronic cameras to make an effort to get scenery of The big apple or Washington. There was haze over Washington, yet no specific resource could be seen. Everything appeared unbelievable from two to three hundred kilometers away. I can not imagine the awful scenes on the ground.Other than the emotional effect of our country being actually dealt with and 1000s of our residents as well as maybe some pals being killed, the absolute most frustrating feeling being where I am actually is one of seclusion.Upcoming day ... I suspect the fatigue as well as psychological tension received the greatest of me. I couldn't stay awake and continue to create. Today was still challenging, yet our team began acquiring more information, plus our team possessed the respect of chatting straight with the Center Supervisor, Roy Estess, who ensured our company that the ground groups will remain to function and also guarantee our protection, and also the risk-free operation of the Place. Our company also talked to our Administrator, Mr. Goldin, who incorporated that the companions in the System are all completely committed to proceeding secure functions and assistance. These were never ever questions for me. I know all these individuals! The ground crews have been actually surprisingly helpful, really understanding of the influence of the information, as well as have attempted to become as useful as feasible. They have all been actually quite specialist as well as concentrated though I can't think of the distraction of this type of headlines coming in and the thought that government buildings might be vulnerable. They never bypassed a beat, also when transferring control centers. As well as a team of elderly personnel as well as close friends provided our team a pretty extensive instruction on what was understood as well as what was being done in the federal government and at NASA on Tuesday afternoon, which was actually very valuable and kind of all of them to do in the middle of all the distress. The Russian TsUP has also been actually supportive and also helpful, attempting to uplink news articles when our personal resources were inoperable, and claiming kind words ...My crewmates have been excellent, too. They know it is actually been a challenging day for me and also the individuals on the ground, as well as they have actually made an effort to be as also keeled and practical as achievable. Michael also repaired me my favored Borscht soup for dinner. And they give me lots of area to presume when I needed it. They are actually really understanding as well as of course outraged at whoever would certainly perform this.I understand a lot of folks in Washington, many folks who travel to DC and also NYC, many that are captains, that I experienced certain I will get a minimum of a couple of pieces of bad news over the upcoming couple of times. I got the very first one today when I discovered that the Leader of the American Airlines jet that reached the Pentagon was Chic Burlingame, a schoolmate of mine. I found Chic throughout plebe summer season when we were in the D&B together, as well as we possessed tons of courses together. I can't picture what he needs to of gone through, and also currently I listen to that he might possess increased additionally than our company can even think about through potentially preventing his aircraft coming from being actually the one to tackle the White Home. What an awful reduction, but I ensure Chic was actually combating fearlessly throughout. As well as tears do not circulate the very same in space ...It is actually complicated to define how it feels to become the only United States completely off the world at once including this. The sensation that I ought to exist with each one of you, taking care of this, helping in some way, is actually overwhelming. I recognize that our team are on the threshold (or past) of an awful switch in the past history of the world. Many points will definitely never be the same once more after September 11, 2001. Not only for the 1000s as well as 1000s of people directly had an effect on by these horrible process of violence, however probably for everyone. Our team are going to locate our own selves feeling differently regarding lots of things, including probably area exploration, sadly.It is actually awful to see smoke cigarettes putting from injuries in your very own nation from such a wonderful angle. The dichotomy of being on a space capsule devoted to enhancing life on the earth as well as enjoying life being actually destroyed through such conscious, horrible actions is jolting to the psyche, regardless of who you are. As well as the know-how that every thing will certainly be actually various than when our company introduced due to the opportunity our team land is a little disconcerting. I believe in our country and also in our leadership that our experts will definitely do every little thing feasible to better guard her and also our loved ones, and to carry compensation wherefore has been performed. I have self-confidence that the really good people at NASA are going to do whatever necessary to proceed our goal securely and also return our company securely at the right time. And I miss each of you quite. I can not be there along with you face to face, as well as we have a very long way to go to complete our mission, however be particular that my heart is with you, and understand you are in my requests.Submissively, Frank.September 14, 2001 10:49 p.m. An upgrade to the last character ... Luckily, it's been actually a hectic full week up here. As well as to confirm that, like our country, our team are advancing our designated path along with business as usual (as high as achievable). Tonight the most recent add-on to the place, the Russian Docking Chamber will be introduced coming from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. On Saturday night (US time), it will certainly dock along with our company, at a slot never ever utilized before on the nadir edge of the Solution Component. This brand new element will definitely offer our company an additional location to dock a Progression or Soyuz and also will definitely deliver a huge airlock along with two useable hatches for performing EVA's in Russian Orlan suits, which our company will definitely carry out a few of just before our experts get back.The trouble before in handling this week was inadequate news. The complication right now is actually way too much. It arrived all at once when e-mail was rejuvenated, and also there is actually inadequate time to read everything! Plus it's as well hard to cope with all of it at the same time. Yet I cherish acquiring it, and I actually appreciate the excellent characters of assistance and friendly relationship I am actually receiving.Our team are actually prospering on board, receiving our work carried out, and also speaking about traits. Final night our company had a lengthy conversation over supper regarding the value of these events, the feasible actions to observe, and also what ought to be actually performed. After dinner, Michael made a point of informing me that every email he obtained coming from friends in Russia mentioned exclusively to tell me exactly how sorry they were actually that this taken place, prolonging their condolences, and talking to just how I was actually performing. Vladimir instructed me the Russian word for "condolences" after speaking with the previous CDR, Yuri Usachev, on the phone in Superstar Urban area. (Both the Russian as well as the English terms are considerably very lengthy to articulate easily.) Extremely types individuals.For the final two days, the Russian MCC has been good enough to broadcast live shows of broadcast updates concerning the celebration and affiliated stories, to see to it I was effectively updated. Every specialist that has started the line to go over a procedure or a trouble has at some aspect expanded hellos to me with kind terms. Tonight the Russian capcom informed our team that as a result of the big day of remembrance in the US, throughout the day people had actually been carrying blooms and also edging all the walls of the United States consulate in Moscow, as well as this evening they were lighting candles in the street outside the consulate. Exactly how the planet has altered.Individuals just about everywhere seem to realize the senselessness as well as scary in this particular assault. As well as the enormous loss. Moscow has actually coped with these kind of troubles in the final handful of years with condo and metro battles, so they are actually as restless to eliminate this risk as we are. Yet all-time low product line is that there are actually good individuals anywhere that wish to live in peace. I read through that a kid asked, "The United States is so good to various other countries, our team regularly aid everybody, exactly how can they dislike our team a great deal?".I hope the example of participation and trust that this spacecraft plus all the people in the system display daily will at some point motivate the remainder of the world to operate similarly. They must!Sadly, we will not be taking flight over the United States while folks are actually lighting candlesticks. Don't understand if our company can find that anyhow. Our team carried out, having said that, find an extremely unique and beautiful sight a couple of mins ago: the launch of our Docking Compartment on a Soyuz booster. Our experts were eclipsing it as well as it emerged concerning three minutes after its launch coming from Baikonur as the sunlight reached our station, so it was actually still unaware. It appeared like a sizable comet along with a directly, broad rear silhouetted versus the black world underneath. Regardless of some negative lighting for some time as the sunshine hit our window at a reduced angle, I took care of some online video of it as initially our team passed the spacecraft, and after that watched it begin to mesmerize as it got altitude as well as velocity. I recorded until primary engine deadline and also booster separation happened equally as our company moved toward sunup on the Mountain ranges. A remarkable sight in an unforgettable full week ...Life goes on, also precede. Our team are actually right here to keep ... Frank.