Space Traveler Shares Mental Health Struggle After Wave of Harassment After Historic Trip

A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her battle with depression after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission earlier this year, which also included well-known figures.

The mission was heavily criticized 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 vicious response eclipsed her moment under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” the astronaut shared in a social media post, recalling a check-in call from a mission companion in the period after the flight.

She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy 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

The researcher, who has dedicated her work to female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – from her scientific research and years of training to the symbolic importance of her background – was buried under the avalanche of gendered attacks.

She is widely recognized for her pioneering work protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was put on hold after surviving a rape during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.

The Fog Begins to Lift

In the time since reaching space, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the followers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she said.

She noted that amid the criticism, significant positive outcomes had come out of the mission, such as elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

About the Mission

The fully automated spacecraft launched from its launch site in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the edge of outer space.

The diverse crew also comprised experts in various fields.

The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company founded by a well-known tech mogul.