Space Traveler Shares Emotional Distress After ‘Tsunami of Backlash After Historic Trip

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission earlier this year, which also included well-known figures.

The mission was heavily criticized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint.

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

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a public message, recalling a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the flight.

She characterized 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 wrote. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

The researcher, who has conducted studies in women's health research and performed experiments during the flight, said every professional achievement – from her lab work and years of training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was buried under the avalanche of gendered attacks.

She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for survivors of assault.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after an attack during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

The Fog Begins to Lift

Now, eight months after fulfilling her dream, she noted the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the followers whose support helped save her. “Your support rescued me,” she affirmed.

She added that even with the backlash, considerable good had emerged from the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

About the Mission

The self-operating New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that crossed the Kármán line of space.

The team of pioneers also included leaders in multiple disciplines.

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