Space Traveler Shares Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of ‘Tsunami of Backlash Post-Spaceflight

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her battle with depression after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also featured celebrity crewmates.

The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, describing a check-in call from a fellow crew member in the days following the flight.

She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault.

“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Buried Under Misogyny

Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on female health science and conducted tests during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – from her lab work and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her background – was drowned out under the deluge of sexist vitriol.

She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of survivors of assault.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was put on hold after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.

A Path to Recovery

Months following fulfilling her dream, she noted the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the well-wishers whose support pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.

She added that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the experience, including spotlight on her women's health research and chances to influence leaders.

Flight Details

The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in April, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that passed the Kármán line of space.

The team of pioneers also featured leaders in multiple disciplines.

The venture behind the flight is a private space firm launched by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.