Astronaut Shares Emotional Distress Following Deluge of Harassment Post-Spaceflight
A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after enduring a relentless barrage of criticism in the wake of a landmark journey to the edge of space.
Amanda Nguyen – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also featured celebrity crewmates.
The mission was met with derision by some, who cited its expense and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, describing a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the aftermath of the landing.
She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault.
“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she revealed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”
Buried Under Misogyny
Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on gynecological science and performed experiments during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – including her lab work and astronaut training to the historic significance of her roots – was drowned out under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.
She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of survivors of assault.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after surviving a rape during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
Finding Solid Ground
Now, eight months after reaching space, she noted the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the supporters whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she wrote.
She concluded that amid the criticism, considerable good had come out of the experience, including increased focus on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.
About the Mission
The self-operating New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of space.
The group of women also included experts in multiple disciplines.
The venture behind the flight is a private space firm established by a well-known tech mogul.
