Space Traveler Reveals Emotional Distress In the Wake of Wave of Backlash After Historic Trip
A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space.
Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also carried high-profile passengers.
The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who cited its expense and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction eclipsed her moment under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a online statement, recalling a check-in call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the flight.
She described the news reports and online discourse as an unprecedented psychological assault.
“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she revealed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”
Buried Under Misogyny
Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in women's health research and operated research during the mission, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and extensive preparation to the personal milestone of her heritage – was drowned out under the avalanche of misogyny.
She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for victims of sexual violence.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after surviving a rape during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.
Finding Solid Ground
Months following reaching space, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose support helped save her. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.
She concluded that amid the criticism, considerable good had come out of the mission, including elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities.
Flight Details
The fully automated New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a short trip that passed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.
The diverse crew also featured accomplished professionals from multiple disciplines.
The company behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
