Crew Member Discloses Emotional Distress In the Wake of Deluge of Backlash Post-Spaceflight

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission earlier this year, which also featured celebrity crewmates.

The mission was heavily criticized by some, who cited its expense and carbon footprint.

Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the pioneer for her community, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an torrent of sexist abuse.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, describing a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the flight.

She portrayed the news reports and online discourse 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 wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and performed experiments during the mission, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and years of training to the symbolic importance of her background – was buried under the deluge of misogyny.

She is widely recognized for her pioneering work championing the cause of victims of sexual violence.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was paused after an attack 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 expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she said.

She added that even with the backlash, important benefits had resulted from the flight, including increased focus on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

About the Mission

The self-operating spacecraft launched from its launch site in April, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the Kármán line of outer space.

The team of pioneers also comprised experts in multiple disciplines.

The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company launched by a well-known tech mogul.