Space Traveler Shares Depression After Wave of Backlash Following Journey
A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her battle with depression after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a historic all-female space mission.
Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also carried high-profile passengers.
The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response buried her dreams under an landslide of gendered hatred.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, referring to a phone call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the flight.
She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an unprecedented psychological assault.
“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she wrote. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”
Buried Under Misogyny
Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on gynecological science and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – from her studies and extensive preparation to the historic significance of her roots – was buried under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.
She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of sexual assault survivors.
Her own goal of reaching space was put on hold after surviving a rape during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
A Path to Recovery
Months following fulfilling her dream, she has stated the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the supporters whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed.
She concluded that amid the criticism, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the mission, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism.
Flight Details
The self-operating New Shepard rocket departed Texas in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that crossed the edge of space.
The diverse crew also featured accomplished professionals from different industries.
The venture behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a Amazon founder.
