Space Traveler Discloses Mental Health Struggle Following Wave of Harassment After Historic Trip
A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her emotional downturn after facing a relentless barrage of criticism in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.
Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also carried well-known figures.
The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred.
“I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a online statement, describing a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the aftermath of the landing.
She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.
“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she revealed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”
Buried Under Misogyny
Ms. Nguyen, who has dedicated her work to women's health research and operated research during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her scientific research and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was drowned out under the deluge of misogyny.
She is best known for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of sexual assault survivors.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after an attack during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
A Path to Recovery
Now, eight months after reaching space, she noted the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose kindness helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.
She added that even with the backlash, important benefits had resulted from the experience, such as spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.
About the Mission
The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the Kármán line of outer space.
The diverse crew also comprised experts in multiple disciplines.
The enterprise behind the flight is a private space firm launched by a well-known tech mogul.
