Space Traveler Reveals Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of Wave of Backlash Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her emotional downturn after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

The 34-year-old activist – 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 high-profile flight was heavily criticized by some, who cited its expense and ecological impact.

Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, describing a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the landing.

She characterized the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she revealed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Overshadowed by Sexism

Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and extensive preparation to the personal milestone of her heritage – was overshadowed under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.

She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of sexual assault survivors.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

Finding Solid Ground

In the time since reaching space, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose support were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she said.

She noted that despite the negativity, important benefits had resulted from the experience, including elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The fully automated New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a short trip that exceeded the edge of space.

The group of women also comprised experts in multiple disciplines.

The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company founded by a Amazon founder.