Space Traveler Discloses Emotional Distress Following Deluge of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight

A Vietnamese-American astronaut 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 in April, which also carried well-known figures.

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

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, recalling a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the journey.

She characterized the press attention and digital reaction as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.

“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Buried Under Misogyny

The researcher, who has conducted studies in women's health research and performed experiments during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – including her studies and years of training to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the avalanche of misogyny.

She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight 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 thanked the well-wishers whose support pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she said.

She added that despite the negativity, significant positive outcomes had come out of the experience, including elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The self-operating New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in April, carrying the historic roster on a short trip that passed the internationally recognized boundary of space.

The group of women also comprised experts in multiple disciplines.

The enterprise behind the flight is a private space firm launched by a Amazon founder.