Astronaut Shares Emotional Distress In the Wake of Deluge of Backlash Post-Spaceflight
A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about 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 researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also featured celebrity crewmates.
The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who cited its expense and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an torrent of sexist abuse.
“I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a online statement, recalling a phone call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the landing.
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 confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”
Buried Under Misogyny
Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in women's health research and conducted tests during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – including her studies and years of training to the personal milestone of her background – was buried under the tide of misogyny.
She is most acclaimed for her pioneering work protecting the rights of survivors of assault.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was put on hold after an attack during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle.
Finding Solid Ground
Months following reaching space, she has stated the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she affirmed.
She concluded that amid the criticism, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the mission, including elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism.
About the Mission
The fully automated spacecraft lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a short trip that crossed the Kármán line of space.
The team of pioneers also featured accomplished professionals from multiple disciplines.
The venture behind the flight is a private space firm launched by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
