Space Traveler Shares Depression Following Deluge of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has opened up regarding her battle with depression after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space.

Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also included well-known figures.

The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” she recounted in a online statement, describing a check-in call from a mission companion in the period after the journey.

She described the press attention and digital reaction as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.

“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”

Buried Under Misogyny

The researcher, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and operated research during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her scientific research and years of training to the personal milestone of her background – was buried under the deluge of gendered attacks.

She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after an attack during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.

A Path to Recovery

Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the supporters whose kindness pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she said.

She noted that amid the criticism, considerable good had emerged from the flight, including elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities.

About the Mission

The self-operating spacecraft departed Texas in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that passed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.

The group of women also featured experts in various fields.

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