Crew Member Shares Mental Health Struggle Following ‘Tsunami of Backlash After Historic Trip

A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her emotional downturn after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission earlier this year, which also carried high-profile passengers.

The mission was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact.

Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, recalling a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the aftermath of the flight.

She portrayed the news reports and online discourse 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 revealed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and operated research during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and years of training to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the tide of misogyny.

She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of survivors of assault.

Her own goal of reaching space was put on hold after an attack during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

Finding Solid Ground

Months following reaching space, she noted the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she expressed gratitude the followers whose kindness helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she said.

She concluded that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had come out of the mission, such as increased focus on her scientific work and new advocacy opportunities.

The Historic Journey

The computer-piloted spacecraft departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of space.

The group of women also included experts in various fields.

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