.Publisher's Details: The complying with is the message of a character from Exploration 3 Leader Frank L. Culbertson (Captain, USN Retired), reflecting on the celebrations of September 11.September 12, 2001 7:34 p.m.I haven't written significantly concerning specifics of this particular objective during the course of the month I have actually been right here, primarily for 2 factors: the initial being that there has been really little bit of time to do that sort of creating, and the second thing is since I'm not sure how comfy I am discussing thought and feelings I share with family and friends with the remainder of the planet.Effectively, undoubtedly the world changed today. What I point out or even carry out is actually incredibly minor matched up to the implication of what happened to our nation today when it was assaulted through ... by whom? Terrorists is all we understand, I suspect. Challenging to know at whom to direct our rage and also concern ...I had actually only finished an amount of tasks today, the absolute most time-consuming being actually the physical examinations of all team participants. In a private talk following that, the tour surgeon informed me they were actually having a very negative day on the ground. I possessed no tip ...He described the condition to me as ideal he knew it at ~ 0900 CDT. I was actually shocked, then alarmed. My 1st notion was actually that this had not been an actual conversation, that I was still listening closely to some of my Tom Clancy strips. It merely didn't seem achievable on this incrustation in our country. I could not also imagine the details, even before the information of additional devastation started can be found in.Vladimir visited fairly swiftly, picking up that one thing very severe was being actually explained. I swayed Michael into the module also. They were also blown away and stunned. After our team signed off, I made an effort to detail to Vladimir and also Michael as best I might the prospective size of this act of terror in downtown New york and also at the Pentagon. They clearly comprehended and also were actually quite compassionate.I eyed the Globe Chart on the computer to find where over the globe our experts were actually and also saw that we were actually coming southeast out of Canada and also will be actually passing over New England in a few moments. I zoomed around the station up until I discovered a home window that will give me a scenery of NYC as well as took hold of the nearest camera. It happened to become a camera, and also I was looking southern from the window of Michael's cabin.The smoke cigarettes appeared to have a weird flower to it at the base of the column that was streaming south of the urban area. After reading among the news articles our company merely acquired, I believe our experts were actually considering NY around the moment of, or even not long after, the crash of the second high rise. How dreadful ...I swept the camera during the East Coast to the south to view if I could find every other smoke cigarettes around Washington, or anywhere else, however absolutely nothing was visible.It was actually fairly challenging to think of work afterwards, though our experts possessed some to carry out, yet on the next track our team crossed the United States more south. All three people were working a couple of cameras to try to receive viewpoints of Nyc or even Washington. There was actually fog over Washington, yet no certain source may be observed. All of it looked incredible coming from a couple of hundred miles away. I can't picture the unfortunate scenes on the ground.Other than the psychological influence of our nation being tackled as well as hundreds of our consumers and also maybe some pals being actually eliminated, one of the most difficult emotion being actually where I am actually is just one of isolation.Next day ... I think the fatigue as well as emotional pressure acquired the greatest of me. I could not keep awake and also remain to compose. Today was still tough, yet our team began getting additional relevant information, plus our company had the tribute of talking directly with the Center Supervisor, Roy Estess, who guaranteed our company that the ground staffs will continue to function as well as guarantee our security, along with the secure function of the Station. We also learnt through our Manager, Mr. Goldin, that incorporated that the companions in the Plan are actually all absolutely committed to carrying on safe functions and also help. These were actually never questions for me. I understand all these folks! The ground teams have actually been actually unbelievably encouraging, incredibly understanding of the impact of the headlines, and have made an effort to become as practical as achievable. They have all been really qualified and also centered though I can't envision the disturbance of this sort of headlines being available in and the idea that authorities buildings might be vulnerable. They certainly never missed a beat, also when moving nerve center. And a team of elderly personnel and friends gave our company a quite extensive briefing on what was actually known and what was actually being done in the authorities as well as at NASA on Tuesday mid-day, which was actually extremely valuable and also kind of all of them to perform in the middle of all the turmoil. The Russian TsUP has actually also been actually helpful as well as helpful, trying to uplink newspaper article when our own possessions were actually inoperable, and mentioning kind terms ...My crewmates have actually been actually excellent, also. They know it's been a challenging time for me and also the folks on the ground, and they have actually tried to become as even keeled as well as helpful as achievable. Michael even repaired me my preferred Borscht soup for dinner. As well as they offer me plenty of room to assume when I needed it. They are incredibly supportive as well as of course shocked at whoever would perform this.I know so many individuals in Washington, a lot of people that travel to DC and New York City, plenty of that are pilots, that I felt sure I will receive at least a couple of pieces of bad news over the upcoming couple of days. I obtained the initial one today when I discovered that the Leader of the American Airlines plane that struck the Pentagon was Chic Burlingame, a classmate of mine. I met Chic during cadet summer months when our company were in the D&B with each other, and also we possessed lots of classes together. I can not envision what he should of gone through, and right now I listen to that he might have climbed further than our team can easily even consider by possibly stopping his airplane from being actually the one to tackle the White Property. What an awful reduction, yet I make certain Chic was actually dealing with fearlessly throughout. As well as splits do not stream the exact same in space ...It's difficult to describe how it feels to be the only United States completely off the planet at once like this. The feeling that I ought to exist along with every one of you, coping with this, assisting somehow, is mind-boggling. I know that our company perform the limit (or even past) of a horrendous change in the past history of the globe. Lots of points are going to certainly never coincide again after September 11, 2001. Certainly not just for the thousands and also 1000s of people straight had an effect on by these hideous process of terrorism, yet most likely for all of us. Our team will definitely locate our own selves feeling in different ways concerning dozens of factors, consisting of most likely area exploration, however.It is actually terrible to observe smoke cigarettes putting coming from wounds in your very own country coming from such an amazing point of view. The duality of getting on a spacecraft devoted to boosting everyday life on the planet and seeing life being actually ruined by such purposeful, horrible actions is jolting to the psyche, no matter that you are. And also the understanding that every little thing will be various than when we released due to the time our experts land is a little disconcerting. I believe in our country and also in our management that our experts are going to do every little thing achievable to far better protect her as well as our households, and also to bring justice wherefore has actually been actually performed. I possess assurance that the excellent people at NASA will do every little thing needed to continue our goal safely and also return us carefully at the correct time. And also I miss out on all of you very much. I can not be there with you face to face, and we have a long way to go to accomplish our mission, yet be actually particular that my center is actually along with you, and understand you remain in my prayers.Submissively, Frank.September 14, 2001 10:49 p.m. An upgrade to the last character ... Luckily, it's been a hectic week up listed below. And also to show that, like our nation, our team are actually continuing on our planned course along with service customarily (as much as possible). Tonight the current add-on to the station, the Russian Docking Area will definitely be introduced from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. On Saturday evening (United States opportunity), it will definitely dock along with our company, at a port certainly never made use of just before on the low point edge of the Service Module. This brand new module will provide our team an additional spot to dock a Development or Soyuz as well as are going to supply a huge airlock with 2 useable hatches for performing EVA's in Russian Orlan fits, which our team will perform a few of just before our team come home.The problem just before in coping with today was actually too little updates. The issue now is a lot of. It came all at once when e-mail was actually brought back, and there is actually not nearly enough opportunity to review all of it! Plus it is actually also hard to handle all of it at once. However I appreciate receiving it, and I definitely cherish the wonderful letters of assistance as well as friendship I am acquiring.Our experts are doing well aboard, getting our work carried out, as well as discussing factors. Last night our experts had a long dialogue over supper concerning the significance of these events, the achievable actions to observe, and also what need to be actually carried out. After dinner, Michael made a point of informing me that every e-mail he acquired from close friends in Russia pointed out specifically to inform me exactly how sorry they were actually that this happened, prolonging their acknowledgements, and asking just how I was actually doing. Vladimir instructed me the Russian term for "condolences" after speaking with the previous CDR, Yuri Usachev, on the phone in Celebrity City. (Both the Russian as well as the English words are much very lengthy to verbalize conveniently.) Very type folks.For the last 2 days, the Russian MCC has actually sufficed to transmit live broadcasts of radio headlines regarding the occasion and connected accounts, to see to it I was effectively updated. Every specialist that has started free throw line to review an operation or a trouble has at some factor expanded hellos to me along with kind words. Tonight the Russian capcom informed our company that because of the special day of remembrance in the United States, throughout the day folks had actually been taking florals as well as edging all the wall structures of the US embassy in Moscow, and also this night they were actually igniting candle lights in the street outside the embassy. How the planet has actually altered.Folks anywhere seem to be to recognize the senselessness and also terror in this assault. And the tremendous reduction. Moscow has handled these sort of problems in the last handful of years along with flat and train battles, so they are as distressed to remove this hazard as we are actually. But all-time low product line is that there are actually good individuals everywhere who would like to reside in tranquility. I read that a child inquired, "United States is actually therefore good to various other countries, our company constantly help every person, how can they loathe our company so much?".I wish the instance of participation as well as trust that this space probe and all the people in the program demonstrate daily are going to sooner or later motivate the remainder of the planet to operate the same way. They must!Regrettably, we won't be taking flight over the US during the time people are lighting candles. Don't know if we could possibly view that anyhow. We performed, nevertheless, view an incredibly unique and also stunning view a handful of minutes ago: the launch of our Docking Area on a Soyuz booster. Our company were eclipsing it and it came into view regarding 3 moments after its launch from Baikonur as the sun struck our station, so it was still in the dark. It resembled a big comet along with a right, broad rear silhouetted against the dark world below. Regardless of some bad lighting for a while as the sunlight reached our window at a low viewpoint, I managed some video recording of it as to begin with our company passed the spacecraft, and then viewed it start to mesmerize as it got altitude and also speed. I recorded until primary motor deadline and also enhancer separation happened equally our team came close to dawn on the Himalayas. An unforgettable sight in a memorable week ...Lifestyle happens, even in space. Our team're below to keep ... Frank.