Space Traveler Shares Mental Health Struggle Following Wave of Harassment Following Journey
A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her battle with depression after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.
Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in April, which also featured well-known figures.
The mission was heavily criticized by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, describing a check-in call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the landing.
She characterized the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.
“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”
Eclipsed by Backlash
The researcher, who has focused her career on women's health research and operated research during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her heritage – was overshadowed under the avalanche of gendered attacks.
She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for survivors of assault.
Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was put on hold after an attack during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.
The Fog Begins to Lift
Months following achieving her goal, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she thanked the supporters whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she affirmed.
She concluded that despite the negativity, significant positive outcomes had resulted from the experience, including spotlight on her scientific work and chances to influence leaders.
About the Mission
The self-operating spacecraft departed its launch site in April, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that passed the Kármán line of space.
The team of pioneers also featured experts in multiple disciplines.
The enterprise behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
