Crew Member Discloses Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of ‘Tsunami of Harassment Post-Spaceflight

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in April, which also carried celebrity crewmates.

The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a online statement, recalling a check-in call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the journey.

She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by 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 lab work and extensive preparation to the historic significance of her background – was overshadowed under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.

She is most acclaimed for her pioneering work championing the cause of sexual assault survivors.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after an attack during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

Finding Solid Ground

In the time since achieving her goal, she noted the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she thanked the supporters whose kindness were her lifeline. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.

She added that despite the negativity, important benefits had emerged from the mission, such as elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.

The diverse crew also featured leaders in different industries.

The enterprise behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a well-known tech mogul.