Space Traveler Shares Emotional Distress Following ‘Tsunami of Harassment Following Journey
A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.
The 34-year-old activist – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission in April, which also carried well-known figures.
The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, describing a check-in call from a fellow crew member in the period after the journey.
She described the news reports and online discourse as an unprecedented psychological assault.
“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”
Eclipsed by Backlash
Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on female health science and conducted tests during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was overshadowed under the deluge of misogyny.
She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for victims of sexual violence.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after an attack during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
The Fog Begins to Lift
Months following fulfilling her dream, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the well-wishers whose kindness were her lifeline. “Your support rescued me,” she said.
She concluded that even with the backlash, considerable good had come out of the experience, including increased focus on her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities.
Flight Details
The self-operating spacecraft lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the Kármán line of outer space.
The diverse crew also featured experts in various fields.
The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company launched by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
