Space Traveler Discloses Depression After ‘Tsunami of Harassment Post-Spaceflight

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after enduring a relentless barrage of criticism in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

The 34-year-old activist – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also featured celebrity crewmates.

The high-profile flight was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse.

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

She portrayed 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 confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Overshadowed by Sexism

The researcher, who has focused her career on gynecological science and performed experiments during the flight, said every professional achievement – including her scientific research and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her heritage – was overshadowed under the tide of misogyny.

She is best known for her pioneering work championing the cause of sexual assault survivors.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was put on hold after surviving a rape during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.

Finding Solid Ground

Months following achieving her goal, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she thanked the followers whose support were her lifeline. “Your support rescued me,” she affirmed.

She concluded that despite the negativity, significant positive outcomes had come out of the experience, such as elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

Flight Details

The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket departed Texas in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the edge of outer space.

The diverse crew also comprised accomplished professionals from multiple disciplines.

The venture behind the mission is a private space firm founded by a Amazon founder.