Astronaut Discloses Emotional Distress After Wave of Online Abuse After Historic Trip
A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after being subjected to a relentless barrage of criticism in the wake of a historic all-female space mission.
Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also included well-known figures.
The mission was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and carbon footprint.
Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an landslide of gendered hatred.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, describing a check-in call from a fellow crew member in the aftermath of the journey.
She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping.
“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she wrote. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”
Buried Under Misogyny
The researcher, who has dedicated her work to women's health research and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – from her scientific research and years of training to the personal milestone of her roots – was buried under the deluge of sexist vitriol.
She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of sexual assault survivors.
Her own goal of reaching space was deferred after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a years-long quest for justice.
The Fog Begins to Lift
In the time since achieving her goal, she has stated the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose kindness were her lifeline. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.
She concluded that despite the negativity, important benefits 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 departed Texas in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that passed the edge of space.
The team of pioneers also included experts in different industries.
The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a Amazon founder.
