Astronaut Shares Mental Health Struggle After ‘Tsunami of Harassment Following Journey

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her emotional downturn after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also carried high-profile passengers.

The high-profile flight was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and carbon footprint.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” the astronaut shared in a public message, describing a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the flight.

She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

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

Buried Under Misogyny

The researcher, who has focused her career on female health science and operated research during the flight, said every professional achievement – including her studies and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her background – was buried under the avalanche of misogyny.

She is most acclaimed for her pioneering work championing the cause of victims of sexual violence.

Her own goal of reaching space was deferred after an attack during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.

The Fog Begins to Lift

Months following achieving her goal, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement helped save her. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.

She noted that amid the criticism, significant positive outcomes had come out of the experience, such as spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The computer-piloted spacecraft launched from its launch site in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the edge of space.

The team of pioneers also included leaders in different industries.

The venture behind the mission is a private space firm established by a well-known tech mogul.