»Nasa Releases Haunting Image Of 9 11 Attacks Viewed From Space
NASA Releases Haunting Image Of 9/11 Attacks Viewed From Space
On the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 attacks, NASA shared a letter from astronaut Frank Culbertson, the only American in space at the time, reflecting on witnessing the tragedy from the International Space Station (ISS).
On the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 attacks, NASA shared a letter from astronaut Frank Culbertson, the only American in space at the time, reflecting on witnessing the tragedy from the International Space Station (ISS).
In the September 12, 2001 letter, Culbertson expressed his shock and horror, noting, “The world changed today. What I say or do is minor compared to what happened to our country, attacked by… terrorists, I suppose. It’s hard to know where to direct our anger and fear…”
Frank Culbertson, the commander of Expedition Three at the time, captured images of the smoke plume from lower Manhattan shortly after the Twin Towers’ collapse. In his letter, he vividly described the emotional impact of witnessing such a major terrorist attack from space, noting, “It’s difficult to describe how it feels to be the only American completely off the planet at a time like this.
The overwhelming feeling that I should be there, dealing with this and helping in some way, is profound.” As the International Space Station passed over New York City, Frank Culbertson observed and filmed the smoke from the Twin Towers’ collapse, noting its “odd bloom” at the base.
He later discovered that Captain Charles Burlingame, the pilot of the plane that struck the Pentagon, was his classmate. Now, 23 years later, a memorial stands at the site of the Twin Towers to honor those lost in the attack. Pew Research highlights that the 9/11 attacks profoundly changed US public opinion.
Culbertson’s photographs and letter remain a poignant reminder of the day that altered history, underscoring that things “would never be the same again.”