Space Traveler Reveals Emotional Distress After Wave of Backlash Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her emotional downturn after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a landmark journey to the edge of space.

Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission in April, which also included celebrity crewmates.

The mission was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, recalling a phone call from a fellow crew member in the aftermath of the flight.

She portrayed 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. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”

Overshadowed by Sexism

Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on women's health research and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and years of training to the personal milestone of her background – was drowned out under the tide of sexist vitriol.

She is widely recognized for her pioneering work protecting the rights of survivors of assault.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was put on hold after being assaulted during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle.

Finding Solid Ground

Months following reaching space, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she acknowledged the supporters whose support were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she said.

She noted that despite the negativity, considerable good had come out of the flight, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities.

The Historic Journey

The fully automated spacecraft lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a short trip that crossed the edge of outer space.

The team of pioneers also comprised leaders in different industries.

The enterprise behind the mission is a private space firm established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.