Crew Member Reveals Emotional Distress Following Wave of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight
A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after facing a relentless barrage of criticism in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.
The 34-year-old activist – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also carried well-known figures.
The much-publicized journey was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who made history as the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a public message, referring to a check-in call from a mission companion in the period after the landing.
She described the news reports and online discourse as an unprecedented psychological assault.
“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
The researcher, who has focused her career on female health science and conducted tests during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and years of training to the historic significance of her background – was overshadowed under the deluge of sexist vitriol.
She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of survivors of assault.
Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after being assaulted during her time as a student, leading to a years-long quest for justice.
A Path to Recovery
In the time since achieving her goal, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she acknowledged the supporters whose support pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.
She noted that amid the criticism, considerable good had resulted from the experience, including spotlight on her scientific work and new advocacy opportunities.
The Historic Journey
The self-operating New Shepard rocket departed Texas in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a short trip that exceeded the Kármán line of outer space.
The team of pioneers also featured accomplished professionals from different industries.
The enterprise behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
