Space Traveler Reveals Emotional Distress Following Deluge of Online Abuse After Historic Trip

A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her battle with depression after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also carried high-profile passengers.

The mission was heavily criticized by some, who questioned its cost and carbon footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

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

She characterized the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she revealed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Buried Under Misogyny

The researcher, who has focused her career on female health science and operated research during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – from her lab work and astronaut training to the historic significance of her heritage – was drowned out under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.

She is best known for her pioneering work championing the cause of victims of sexual violence.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

A Path to Recovery

Now, eight months after reaching space, she noted the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the followers whose support were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she said.

She noted that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the experience, including increased focus on her scientific work and chances to influence leaders.

The Historic Journey

The fully automated New Shepard rocket launched from its launch site in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a short trip that crossed the Kármán line of space.

The diverse crew also included experts in multiple disciplines.

The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.