Crew Member Discloses Depression In the Wake of Deluge of Backlash Post-Spaceflight

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space.

The 34-year-old activist – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also featured celebrity crewmates.

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

Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, referring to a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the journey.

She portrayed the news reports and online discourse as an unprecedented psychological assault.

“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she wrote. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Buried Under Misogyny

The researcher, who has dedicated her work to women's health research and performed experiments during the mission, said everything she had worked for – from her scientific research and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks.

She is widely recognized for her pioneering work protecting the rights of survivors of assault.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice.

The Fog Begins to Lift

Months following fulfilling her dream, she noted the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose support helped save her. “You all saved me,” she said.

She concluded that even with the backlash, considerable good had emerged from the mission, such as elevated attention for her scientific work and new advocacy opportunities.

The Historic Journey

The self-operating New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a short trip that passed the edge of outer space.

The diverse crew also featured experts in multiple disciplines.

The company behind the flight is a private space firm established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.