Crew Member Shares Depression Following ‘Tsunami of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight
A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after facing a relentless barrage of criticism in the wake of a historic all-female space mission.
Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also carried well-known figures.
The high-profile flight was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, recalling a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the journey.
She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy 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.”
Eclipsed by Backlash
Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on women's health research and conducted tests during the mission, said every professional achievement – from her lab work and years of training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was overshadowed under the tide of gendered attacks.
She is best known for her pioneering work fighting for justice for survivors of assault.
Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle.
A Path to Recovery
In the time since fulfilling her dream, she noted the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose kindness were her lifeline. “Your support rescued me,” she affirmed.
She noted that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had come out of the mission, including elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism.
Flight Details
The fully automated New Shepard rocket departed its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the edge of space.
The team of pioneers also featured leaders in different industries.
The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
