High Alert

25 years ago, a NASA astronaut witnessed the tragic 9/11 attacks from space. Here's what he saw.

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: Space.com
25 years ago, a NASA astronaut witnessed the tragic 9/11 attacks from space. Here's what he saw.WorldPing
Image via Space.com.

What happened

NASA astronaut Frank Culbertson saw the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks from the International Space Station in 2001.

His view and his reaction were captured on video.

Key facts

  • NASA astronaut Frank Culbertson saw the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks from the International Space Station in 2001.
  • Reported by Space.com and published Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:00:00 UTC.

Why it matters

Research findings and mission results set the evidence base that policy, funding and later discoveries build on.

What to watch next

  • Peer review status and replication of the findings
  • Mission milestones and next scheduled attempt
  • Funding or policy decisions that follow

Coverage timeline

When each newsroom published on this story, oldest first — all times UTC.

  1. 25 years ago, a NASA astronaut witnessed the tragic 9/11 attacks from space. Here's what he saw.

  2. 2 private spacecraft zoom within 650 feet of each other to showcase 'advanced capabilities' in orbit (photos)

Sources

The original report was published by Space.com. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at Space.com

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