Crew Member Shares Emotional Distress In the Wake of Deluge of Backlash Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” 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 high-profile passengers.

The much-publicized journey was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response eclipsed her moment under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a public message, describing a phone call from a mission companion in the days following the landing.

She portrayed the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Buried Under Misogyny

Ms. Nguyen, who has dedicated her work to gynecological science and operated research during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her studies and years of training to the personal milestone of her background – was buried under the avalanche of misogyny.

She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for victims of sexual violence.

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

Finding Solid Ground

Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the well-wishers whose kindness pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she said.

She concluded that despite the negativity, significant positive outcomes had come out of the mission, including spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

About the Mission

The self-operating spacecraft departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a short trip that exceeded the Kármán line of space.

The group of women also included leaders in various fields.

The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a well-known tech mogul.