Astronaut Reveals Emotional Distress In the Wake of Deluge of Online Abuse After Historic Trip

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

The 34-year-old activist – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in April, which also carried celebrity crewmates.

The high-profile flight was widely scrutinized by some, who cited its expense and ecological impact.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a online statement, describing a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the period after the flight.

She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

The researcher, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and conducted tests during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her scientific research and astronaut training to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks.

She is best known for her pioneering work championing the cause of survivors of assault.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was paused after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice.

Finding Solid Ground

Now, eight months after fulfilling her dream, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she said.

She concluded that even with the backlash, considerable good had emerged from the experience, such as increased focus on her scientific work and new advocacy opportunities.

The Historic Journey

The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that crossed the Kármán line of space.

The diverse crew also included experts in different industries.

The enterprise behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company launched by a Amazon founder.