Crew Member Discloses Emotional Distress Following Deluge of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her battle with depression after being subjected to a relentless barrage of criticism in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space.

Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also included high-profile passengers.

The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who cited its expense and carbon footprint.

Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, recalling a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the landing.

She portrayed the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

The researcher, who has dedicated her work to women's health research and performed experiments during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – including her lab work and years of training to the personal milestone of her background – was overshadowed under the deluge of misogyny.

She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking advocacy championing the cause of survivors of assault.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a protracted legal battle.

A Path to Recovery

In the time since reaching space, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose support were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed.

She concluded that even with the backlash, considerable good had come out of the mission, such as increased focus on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

Flight Details

The self-operating spacecraft launched from its launch site in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of space.

The diverse crew also included accomplished professionals from different industries.

The enterprise behind the flight is a private space firm established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.