Crew Member Reveals Emotional Distress In the Wake of Deluge of Backlash Post-Spaceflight
A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her emotional downturn after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.
Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also included well-known figures.
The mission was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement 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 landing.
She characterized the press attention and digital reaction as an barrage beyond typical human coping.
“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”
Buried Under Misogyny
Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – from her lab work and years of training to the symbolic importance of her heritage – was buried under the deluge of sexist vitriol.
She is best known for her tireless campaigning fighting for justice for survivors of assault.
Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.
A Path to Recovery
In the time since reaching space, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the supporters whose kindness pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.
She concluded that even with the backlash, important benefits had emerged from the flight, including spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.
Flight Details
The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket departed Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that passed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.
The diverse crew also featured leaders in multiple disciplines.
The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company founded by a Amazon founder.
