Astronaut Shares Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of Wave of Harassment Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also included celebrity crewmates.

The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact.

Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response eclipsed her moment under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a social media post, referring to a check-in call from a mission companion in the days following the landing.

She described the news reports and online discourse as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.

“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she wrote. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”

Buried Under Misogyny

The researcher, who has dedicated her work to gynecological science and conducted tests during the flight, said every professional achievement – including her studies and years of training to the historic significance of her roots – was drowned out under the tide of misogyny.

She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of sexual assault survivors.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was put on hold after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice.

Finding Solid Ground

Months following fulfilling her dream, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose support pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she said.

She noted that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had resulted from the mission, including spotlight on her scientific work and new advocacy opportunities.

About the Mission

The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the Kármán line of space.

The group of women also comprised experts in multiple disciplines.

The company behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a Amazon founder.