Astronaut Shares Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of Deluge of Online Abuse After Historic Trip
A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her battle with depression after enduring a relentless barrage of criticism in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.
Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also featured celebrity crewmates.
The high-profile flight was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse.
“I told her my depression might last for years,” the astronaut shared in a social media post, recalling a check-in call from a fellow crew member in the days following the landing.
She portrayed the press attention and digital reaction as an barrage beyond typical human coping.
“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”
Overshadowed by Sexism
Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on female health science and operated research during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her scientific research and astronaut training to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the tide of sexist vitriol.
She is widely recognized for her pioneering work fighting for justice for sexual assault survivors.
Her own goal of reaching space was deferred after surviving a rape during her university years, leading to a years-long quest for justice.
Finding Solid Ground
In the time since fulfilling her dream, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the supporters whose kindness helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed.
She added that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had come out of the mission, including increased focus on her women's health research and chances to influence leaders.
The Historic Journey
The self-operating spacecraft lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the Kármán line of space.
The team of pioneers also included leaders in various fields.
The venture behind the mission is a private space firm founded by a well-known tech mogul.