Space Traveler Discloses Mental Health Struggle After Wave of Backlash After Historic Trip
A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her battle with depression after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.
Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also carried high-profile passengers.
The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response buried her dreams under an torrent of sexist abuse.
“I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a public message, describing a phone call from a fellow crew member in the aftermath of the journey.
She described the press attention and digital reaction 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. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”
Buried Under Misogyny
The researcher, who has focused her career on women's health research and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her studies and years of training to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the deluge of gendered attacks.
She is best known for her pioneering work fighting for justice for sexual assault survivors.
Her own goal of reaching space was deferred after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.
Finding Solid Ground
Now, eight months after reaching space, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she acknowledged the followers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “Your support rescued me,” she said.
She concluded that amid the criticism, significant positive outcomes had resulted from the mission, such as increased focus on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.
About the Mission
The self-operating spacecraft departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a short trip that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of space.
The team of pioneers also featured experts in various fields.
The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a well-known tech mogul.
