Space Traveler Shares Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of Deluge of Backlash Post-Spaceflight

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her battle with depression after enduring a relentless barrage of criticism in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also carried celebrity crewmates.

The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and carbon footprint.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” she recounted in a online statement, recalling a check-in call from a mission companion in the period after the landing.

She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault.

“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.”

Overshadowed by Sexism

Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in women's health research and performed experiments during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – including her lab work and extensive preparation to the symbolic importance of her roots – was drowned out under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.

She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was put on hold after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

A Path to Recovery

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

She added that even with the backlash, important benefits had come out of the mission, such as spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The self-operating spacecraft departed its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that crossed the Kármán line of space.

The diverse crew also featured experts in multiple disciplines.

The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company launched by a Amazon founder.