Space Traveler Reveals Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of Wave of Backlash After Historic Trip

A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her battle with depression after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also included high-profile passengers.

The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and carbon footprint.

Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response eclipsed her moment under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a social media post, recalling a phone call from a mission companion in the period after 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 wrote. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Overshadowed by Sexism

The researcher, who has focused her career on female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her scientific research and years of training to the historic significance of her roots – was drowned out under the deluge of sexist vitriol.

She is widely recognized for her pioneering work protecting the rights of survivors of assault.

Her own goal of reaching space was deferred after an attack during her time as a student, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

A Path to Recovery

Months following reaching space, she has stated the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the supporters whose support pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.

She concluded that despite the negativity, considerable good had come out of the flight, including spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The fully automated New Shepard rocket departed Texas in April, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of space.

The diverse crew also included leaders in multiple disciplines.

The enterprise behind the mission is a private space firm established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.