Space Traveler Discloses Emotional Distress In the Wake of Wave of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her battle with depression after facing a relentless barrage of criticism in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

The 34-year-old activist – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission in April, which also included high-profile passengers.

The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and carbon footprint.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” the astronaut shared in a public message, recalling a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the landing.

She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.

“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Buried Under Misogyny

Ms. Nguyen, who has dedicated her work to women's health research and operated research during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her studies and years of training to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the deluge of misogyny.

She is most acclaimed for her pioneering work protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was paused after surviving a rape during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.

A Path to Recovery

Months following achieving her goal, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “You all saved me,” she wrote.

She added that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had come out of the mission, such as elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

Flight Details

The fully automated spacecraft launched from its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that crossed the edge of outer space.

The diverse crew also featured experts in multiple disciplines.

The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a Amazon founder.