Space Traveler Shares Mental Health Struggle Following Wave of Harassment Following Journey
A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a landmark journey to the edge of space.
Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in April, which also featured high-profile passengers.
The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, recalling a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the journey.
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 confessed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”
Overshadowed by Sexism
The researcher, who has conducted studies in female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was overshadowed under the avalanche of misogyny.
She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of sexual assault survivors.
Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after being assaulted during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle.
The Fog Begins to Lift
Months following achieving her goal, she has stated the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose kindness helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed.
She added that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the flight, such as elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism.
About the Mission
The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a short trip that exceeded the Kármán line of space.
The diverse crew also featured leaders in various fields.
The company behind the flight is a private space firm established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
