Astronaut Shares Depression After Deluge of Backlash Post-Spaceflight

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the wake of a historic all-female space mission.

The 34-year-old activist – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission earlier this year, which also included high-profile passengers.

The mission was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact.

Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a online statement, referring to a supportive conversation 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. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Buried Under Misogyny

Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on women's health research and conducted tests during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – including her lab work and extensive preparation to the historic significance of her roots – was drowned out under the avalanche of gendered attacks.

She is most acclaimed for her pioneering work championing the cause of victims of sexual violence.

Her own goal of reaching space was put on hold after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

The Fog Begins to Lift

Now, eight months after reaching space, she has stated the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the supporters whose support pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.

She added that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the flight, such as elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

About the Mission

The fully automated New Shepard rocket launched from its launch site in April, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the Kármán line of outer space.

The diverse crew also comprised experts in different industries.

The enterprise behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a Amazon founder.