Space Traveler Reveals Emotional Distress In the Wake of ‘Tsunami of Harassment After Historic Trip

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also carried celebrity crewmates.

The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who cited its expense and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” she recounted in a online statement, recalling a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the aftermath of the journey.

She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Overshadowed by Sexism

The researcher, who has conducted studies in women's health research and operated research during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her studies and years of training to the symbolic importance of her background – was overshadowed under the avalanche of misogyny.

She is widely recognized for her pioneering work championing the cause of sexual assault survivors.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.

Finding Solid Ground

In the time since achieving her goal, she noted the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she acknowledged the followers whose support pulled her through. “You all saved me,” she wrote.

She concluded that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the experience, such as spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from Texas in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the Kármán line of space.

The team of pioneers also comprised accomplished professionals from multiple disciplines.

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