Crew Member Shares Emotional Distress Following Wave of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also carried well-known figures.

The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who cited its expense and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an torrent of sexist abuse.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, recalling a phone call from a mission companion in the days following the landing.

She described 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 wrote. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in women's health research and conducted tests during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – from her scientific research and years of training to the historic significance of her heritage – was drowned out under the tide of gendered attacks.

She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of sexual assault survivors.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was paused after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

The Fog Begins to Lift

In the time since fulfilling her dream, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the supporters whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she wrote.

She noted that amid the criticism, significant positive outcomes had come out of the flight, such as increased focus on her women's health research and chances to influence leaders.

Flight Details

The self-operating spacecraft lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that passed the edge of outer space.

The group of women also featured accomplished professionals from various fields.

The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company launched by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.