Space Traveler Shares Emotional Distress After Deluge of Harassment Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her battle with depression after being subjected to a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission in April, which also included high-profile passengers.

The mission was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and carbon footprint.

Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred.

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

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 wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Overshadowed by Sexism

Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on gynecological science and conducted tests during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – including her scientific research and years of training to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the deluge of sexist vitriol.

She is widely recognized for her pioneering work fighting for justice for victims of sexual violence.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

The Fog Begins to Lift

Months following achieving her goal, she noted the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she acknowledged the supporters whose support helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed.

She added that even with the backlash, considerable good had resulted from the mission, including increased focus on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The self-operating New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a short trip that crossed the edge of space.

The diverse crew also comprised experts in multiple disciplines.

The company behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company founded by a Amazon founder.