Space Traveler Discloses Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of Wave of Harassment After Historic Trip

A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her emotional downturn after being subjected to a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also included well-known figures.

The high-profile flight was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact.

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

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a public message, referring to a phone call from a mission companion in the days following the flight.

She described the press attention and digital reaction as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.

“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on female health science and performed experiments during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and extensive preparation to the symbolic importance of her background – was drowned out under the deluge of sexist vitriol.

She is widely recognized for her pioneering work championing the cause of victims of sexual violence.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a years-long quest for justice.

The Fog Begins to Lift

Months following achieving her goal, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “Your support rescued me,” she affirmed.

She added that despite the negativity, significant positive outcomes 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 launched from its launch site in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the edge of outer space.

The diverse crew also included leaders in multiple disciplines.

The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company launched by a well-known tech mogul.