Space Traveler Discloses Depression In the Wake of Deluge of Harassment Post-Spaceflight
A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after being subjected to 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 celebrity crewmates.
The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who cited its expense and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, referring to a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the aftermath of the journey.
She portrayed 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
Ms. Nguyen, who has dedicated her work to women's health research and operated research during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – from her scientific research and astronaut training to the historic significance of her roots – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks.
She is widely recognized for her pioneering work championing the cause of victims of sexual violence.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after an attack during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
A Path to Recovery
In the time since achieving her goal, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the followers whose support pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.
She concluded that amid the criticism, considerable good had resulted from the flight, including elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism.
Flight Details
The self-operating New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.
The diverse crew also comprised leaders in different industries.
The venture behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company launched by a well-known tech mogul.
