Crew Member Shares Depression After Wave of Backlash Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her emotional downturn after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also included well-known figures.

The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and carbon footprint.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” the astronaut shared in a social media post, recalling a check-in call from a fellow crew member in the period after the landing.

She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.

“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she revealed. “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 gynecological science and operated research during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and years of training to the personal milestone of her roots – was buried under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.

She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for sexual assault survivors.

Her own goal of reaching space was paused after being assaulted during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice.

Finding Solid Ground

In the time since fulfilling her dream, she noted the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.

She noted that even with the backlash, important benefits had resulted from the mission, such as increased focus on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

About the Mission

The self-operating New Shepard rocket departed Texas in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that passed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.

The group of women also included accomplished professionals from multiple disciplines.

The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.