Astronaut Reveals Mental Health Struggle After Deluge of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight
A Vietnamese-American astronaut has opened up regarding her emotional downturn after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space.
The 34-year-old activist – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also carried high-profile passengers.
The mission was heavily criticized by some, who cited its expense and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an landslide of gendered hatred.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a social media post, describing a phone call from a fellow crew member in the aftermath of the flight.
She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault.
“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she revealed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”
Eclipsed by Backlash
The researcher, who has dedicated her work to women's health research and performed experiments during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – including her studies and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was buried under the tide of misogyny.
She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of survivors of assault.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after surviving a rape during her university years, leading to a years-long quest for justice.
A Path to Recovery
Months following reaching space, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose support pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed.
She noted that even with the backlash, considerable good had resulted from the mission, including increased focus on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.
Flight Details
The self-operating spacecraft launched from its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the edge of space.
The team of pioneers also featured experts in different industries.
The company behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company founded by a well-known tech mogul.
