Astronaut Reveals Depression After Deluge of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her emotional downturn after facing a relentless barrage of criticism in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission earlier this year, which also included high-profile passengers.

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

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, referring to a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the period after the flight.

She characterized 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 revealed. “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 performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her scientific research and years of training to the personal milestone of her heritage – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks.

She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of survivors of assault.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was put on hold after an attack during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice.

Finding Solid Ground

In the time since reaching space, she noted the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the supporters whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she affirmed.

She concluded that despite the negativity, significant positive outcomes had come out of the flight, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a short trip that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.

The team of pioneers also included experts in various fields.

The enterprise behind the flight is a private space firm established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.