Space Traveler Shares Mental Health Struggle Following Deluge of Backlash Post-Spaceflight
A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.
Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also carried celebrity crewmates.
The high-profile flight was heavily criticized by some, who cited its expense and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a online statement, referring to a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the aftermath of the journey.
She described 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. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”
Overshadowed by Sexism
The researcher, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was buried under the deluge of misogyny.
She is widely recognized for her pioneering work protecting the rights of sexual assault survivors.
Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was paused after an attack during her university years, leading to a years-long quest for justice.
The Fog Begins to Lift
Now, eight months after fulfilling her dream, she has stated the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she thanked the well-wishers whose kindness pulled her through. “You all saved me,” she affirmed.
She noted that amid the criticism, important benefits had emerged from the flight, such as increased focus on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.
The Historic Journey
The computer-piloted spacecraft departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.
The group of women also comprised accomplished professionals from multiple disciplines.
The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
