Space Traveler Discloses Mental Health Struggle After Wave of Harassment Following Journey

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after being subjected to a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also carried well-known figures.

The high-profile flight was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the pioneer for her community, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, describing a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the flight.

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

“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

The researcher, who has conducted studies in female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said every professional achievement – including her scientific research and astronaut training to the historic significance of her background – was overshadowed under the tide of misogyny.

She is best known for her pioneering work fighting for justice for survivors of assault.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle.

Finding Solid Ground

Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the well-wishers whose kindness were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed.

She concluded that despite the negativity, significant positive outcomes had come out of the experience, including elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities.

The Historic Journey

The computer-piloted spacecraft departed Texas in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.

The group of women also featured leaders in various fields.

The company behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a Amazon founder.