.Editor's Details: The adhering to is the content of a letter coming from Expedition Three Commander Frank L. Culbertson (Captain, USN Resigned), reassessing the celebrations of September 11.September 12, 2001 7:34 p.m.I have not composed very much regarding specifics of this mission in the course of the month I've been actually listed below, generally for two causes: the first being that there has actually been extremely little time to accomplish that sort of composing, and also second of all due to the fact that I am actually not exactly sure how comfy I am discussing ideas I show to friends and family with the rest of the globe.Effectively, undoubtedly the world modified today. What I mention or do is extremely small contrasted to the value of what occurred to our nation today when it was attacked through ... through whom? Revolutionaries is all we know, I presume. Difficult to understand at whom to point our anger as well as concern ...I had actually only finished an amount of tasks today, the absolute most lengthy being actually the physical exams of all workers participants. In a private talk observing that, the tour cosmetic surgeon told me they were having a really negative day on the ground. I had no concept ...He illustrated the situation to me as greatest he recognized it at ~ 0900 CDT. I was actually shocked, then alarmed. My very first idea was that this had not been a genuine discussion, that I was actually still listening closely to one of my Tom Clancy tapes. It just failed to appear feasible on this scale in our country. I couldn't also picture the particulars, even just before the information of further damage began coming in.Vladimir came over quite rapidly, sensing that something extremely significant was actually being reviewed. I swung Michael right into the component also. They were additionally astounded and also stunned. After our team signed off, I made an effort to reveal to Vladimir and Michael as ideal I might the potential immensity of this particular act of horror in downtown Manhattan and also at the Pentagon. They plainly understood as well as were actually quite supportive.I eyed the Globe Chart on the computer system to view where over the world our experts were actually and also observed that our team were happening southeast away from Canada and also will be actually overlooking New England in a couple of moments. I zipped around the station until I found a home window that would provide me a viewpoint of New York City as well as took hold of the nearby electronic camera. It occurred to become a video camera, and I was actually appearing south from the home window of Michael's cabin.The smoke seemed to possess a weird blossom to it at the base of the column that was actually streaming south of the area. After reading among the newspaper article we just acquired, I believe we were checking out NY around the amount of time of, or even quickly after, the failure of the 2nd tower. Just how awful ...I swung the camera the whole time the East Coast to the south to view if I might observe some other smoke cigarettes around Washington, or even anywhere else, yet nothing showed up.It was quite complicated to consider work after that, though we possessed some to carry out, yet on the following orbit our experts traversed the US additional south. All 3 people were functioning one or two video cameras to make an effort to acquire viewpoints of New york city or Washington. There was fog over Washington, however no details resource can be seen. It all looked awesome from 2 to 3 hundred miles away. I can not envision the unfortunate settings on the ground.Besides the psychological impact of our country being attacked as well as thousands of our consumers and also possibly some close friends being actually eliminated, the best mind-boggling sensation being where I am actually is one of isolation.Next time ... I presume the exhaustion and also psychological tension received the most effective of me. I could not stay awake and remain to write. Today was still hard, yet our company started acquiring even more details, plus our team possessed the honor of talking directly with the Center Director, Roy Estess, who ensured our team that the ground groups will remain to function and guarantee our safety and security, in addition to the secure operation of the Station. Our experts likewise talked to our Administrator, Mr. Goldin, that incorporated that the companions in the Plan are all completely committed to continuing secure procedures as well as support. These were never ever concerns for me. I recognize all these people! The ground teams have been actually very helpful, incredibly understanding of the effect of the headlines, as well as have actually attempted to be as helpful as achievable. They have all been quite expert and also concentrated though I can not imagine the disturbance of the kind of information can be found in as well as the idea that government structures could be vulnerable. They never ever skipped a beat, also when transferring nerve center. And also a team of elderly staffs as well as friends provided our company a rather comprehensive instruction about what was actually recognized and what was being carried out in the government and also at NASA on Tuesday afternoon, which was actually incredibly practical and sort of them to perform in the midst of all the turmoil. The Russian TsUP has actually also been encouraging as well as helpful, attempting to uplink newspaper article when our own possessions were inoperable, as well as stating kind phrases ...My crewmates have been terrific, as well. They understand it's been actually a difficult time for me and the individuals on the ground, as well as they have actually attempted to become as also keeled and also useful as achievable. Michael even fixed me my preferred Borscht soup for dinner. And they offer me a lot of room to think when I required it. They are incredibly compassionate and certainly shocked at whoever would certainly do this.I understand many folks in Washington, a lot of folks who travel to DC and NYC, so many that are flies, that I experienced certain I would acquire at the very least a couple of items of bad news over the next couple of times. I obtained the very first one today when I learned that the Captain of the American Airlines jet that hit the Government was actually Chic Burlingame, a friend of mine. I met Chic during plebe summer months when our experts were in the D&B all together, and also our experts possessed lots of courses with each other. I can not imagine what he has to of undergone, and right now I listen to that he might possess risen better than our experts can easily even consider through perhaps stopping his plane coming from being the one to tackle the White Residence. What a horrendous loss, yet I make sure Chic was actually battling bravely to the end. And tears do not flow the very same in space ...It is actually hard to define just how it experiences to be the only United States totally off the planet at once such as this. The emotion that I need to exist with each one of you, taking care of this, aiding somehow, is difficult. I know that our company are on the limit (or even beyond) of a horrible change in the history of the globe. Several factors will certainly never ever coincide once again after September 11, 2001. Not just for the 1000s and also countless folks straight had an effect on through these horrible actions of violence, but most likely for everybody. We will certainly find ourselves really feeling in different ways concerning dozens of points, featuring possibly area expedition, unfortunately.It is actually terrible to find smoke pouring coming from injuries in your personal country from such a fantastic point of view. The dichotomy of performing a space probe devoted to boosting life on the earth and also viewing life being actually damaged by such intentional, terrible process is actually jolting to the mind, no matter that you are actually. As well as the expertise that every thing will be various than when our team released due to the time our company land is a little disconcerting. I believe in our nation and also in our management that our company will carry out every little thing feasible to much better protect her and also our loved ones, as well as to deliver fair treatment of what has been actually carried out. I possess confidence that the good individuals at NASA will perform whatever important to proceed our purpose carefully and also return our team safely and securely at the right time. And I skip all of you quite. I can not exist along with you face to face, and also our team have a very long way to head to finish our mission, but be actually particular that my soul is actually with you, as well as know you are in my prayers.Submissively, Frank.September 14, 2001 10:49 p.m. An improve to the final letter ... Luckily, it's been actually a busy week up right here. As well as to show that, like our country, our team are actually advancing our intended pathway along with organization as usual (as much as possible). Tonight the latest enhancement to the place, the Russian Docking Area will certainly be actually released from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. On Saturday evening (United States opportunity), it is going to dock along with us, at a port certainly never made use of prior to on the nadir edge of the Service Component. This brand new module will definitely offer our company another spot to dock a Progress or even Soyuz and will offer a big airlock along with 2 useable hatches for conducting EVA's in Russian Orlan suits, which our experts will do a few of prior to we return.The trouble just before in managing recently was actually insufficient headlines. The problem today is actually excessive. It arrived at one time when e-mail was actually restored, and there's not nearly enough opportunity to read it all! Plus it's too difficult to handle all of it immediately. But I enjoy receiving it, and I really enjoy the terrific letters of help and friendly relationship I am acquiring.Our team are actually succeeding on board, receiving our work performed, as well as talking about things. Final evening our team had a long dialogue over supper about the significance of these celebrations, the feasible actions to observe, as well as what must be actually carried out. After supper, Michael made a point of informing me that every e-mail he received from pals in Russia pointed out especially to inform me just how sorry they were actually that this taken place, extending their acknowledgements, as well as asking how I was actually doing. Vladimir taught me the Russian term for "acknowledgements" after speaking to the previous CDR, Yuri Usachev, on the phone in Celebrity Metropolitan area. (Both the Russian and the English terms are a lot extremely lengthy to pronounce quickly.) Incredibly kind people.For the last two times, the Russian MCC has been good enough to transmit real-time broadcasts of broadcast updates concerning the event and associated stories, to make sure I was well informed. Every professional that has started the line to cover an operation or even an issue has at some aspect extended hellos to me with kind terms. Tonight the Russian capcom informed our company that as a result of the wedding day of recognition in the US, all the time people had been actually taking blossoms and also lining all the walls of the US consular office in Moscow, and also this night they were lighting candle lights in the street outside the embassy. How the globe has altered.Individuals just about everywhere appear to identify the senselessness and also horror in this attack. And the tremendous loss. Moscow has dealt with these kind of concerns in the final handful of years with apartment or condo and metro battles, so they are actually as anxious to get rid of this hazard as our team are actually. However the bottom collection is actually that there are really good individuals all over that desire to reside in tranquility. I review that a youngster talked to, "America is so really good to various other countries, our company always aid every person, exactly how can they hate our company a lot?".I hope the example of teamwork as well as trust that this space capsule and all individuals in the course illustrate daily are going to at some point influence the remainder of the globe to function similarly. They must!Sadly, our company won't be actually flighting over the United States while individuals are lighting candlesticks. Don't recognize if we can view that anyhow. Our experts did, nonetheless, find a very unusual and stunning sight a handful of moments ago: the launch of our Docking Area on a Soyuz enhancer. Our company were overtaking it and also it emerged about 3 moments after its launch coming from Baikonur as the sunlight struck our terminal, so it was actually still in the dark. It resembled a big comet with a right, vast rear silhouetted versus the dark world underneath. Despite some poor lighting for some time as the sun struck our home window at a reduced angle, I managed some video clip of it as first our experts passed the rocket, and then viewed it begin to catch up as it acquired height and speed. I recorded up until major motor cutoff as well as booster splitting up took place just as we approached dawn on the Himalayas. An extraordinary attraction in an extraordinary full week ...Life takes place, even precede. Our company're below to keep ... Frank.