Astronaut Discloses Mental Health Struggle Following Deluge of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight
A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a landmark journey to the edge of space.
The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also featured high-profile passengers.
The high-profile flight was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and carbon footprint.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” the astronaut shared in a social media post, describing a check-in call from a mission companion in the days following the flight.
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 dedicated her work to gynecological science and operated research during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and astronaut training to the historic significance of her roots – was overshadowed under the avalanche of misogyny.
She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy championing the cause of survivors of assault.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after being assaulted during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
Finding Solid Ground
Months following fulfilling her dream, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she said.
She added that despite the negativity, considerable good had resulted from the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities.
Flight Details
The fully automated New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of space.
The group of women also included experts in multiple disciplines.
The company behind the mission is a private space firm established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
