Astronaut Reveals Mental Health Struggle Following ‘Tsunami of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after enduring a massive wave of online abuse 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 included celebrity crewmates.

The high-profile flight was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response eclipsed her moment under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a online statement, recalling a check-in call from a mission companion in the days following the landing.

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

“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she confessed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Overshadowed by Sexism

Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on gynecological science and conducted tests during the mission, said every professional achievement – including her scientific research and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was drowned out under the deluge of gendered attacks.

She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for victims of sexual violence.

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

A Path to Recovery

In the time since achieving her goal, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she expressed gratitude the followers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she said.

She noted that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the experience, such as spotlight on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

Flight Details

The fully automated New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the Kármán line of outer space.

The group of women also featured leaders in various fields.

The company behind the mission is a private space firm established by a well-known tech mogul.