Today marks the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attack, which saw al-Qaeda terrorists fly two planes into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center in what is the biggest attack on American soil. Almost 3,000 people died that day as four planes were hijacked in the United States.
NASA has taken the opportunity to commemorate the victims of the attack, by sharing images from previous International Space Station (ISS) astronauts of Ground Zero.
One image comes from Jessica Meir, who snapped the New York City area from the ISS in March, 2020.
Another came from ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet who photographed the Washington DC area on April 11, 2017 – the Pentagon, which also came under attack on 9/11, is at the centre of the image.
NASA said: “The attacks of September 11, 2001 were a national tragedy that resulted in a staggering loss of life and a significant change in American culture.
“Each year, we pause and never forget.”
The space agency has also returned to the words of astronaut Frank Culbertson, who was the only American “off the planet” and on board the ISS for the 9/11 attacks.
With a vantage point from space, Mr Culbertson watched the Twin Towers crumble from above.
He wrote shortly after the attacks: “The world changed today. What I say or do is very minor compared to the significance of what happened to our country today when it was attacked.
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An image from Mr Culbertson on the day of the attack shows smoke billowing across New York as the two buildings crumbled.
NASA said: “Visible from space, a smoke plume rises from the Manhattan area after two planes crashed into the towers of the World Trade Center.
“This photo was taken of metropolitan New York City (and other parts of New York as well as New Jersey) the morning of September 11, 2001.
‘”Our prayers and thoughts go out to all the people there, and everywhere else,” said Station Commander Frank Culbertson of Expedition 3, after the terrorists’ attacks.”