Astronaut Reveals Depression Following ‘Tsunami 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 aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space.
The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission earlier this year, which also included high-profile passengers.
The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and carbon footprint.
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 landslide of gendered hatred.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, describing a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the landing.
She described the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping.
“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”
Overshadowed by Sexism
The researcher, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and conducted tests during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her scientific research and astronaut training to the historic significance of her roots – was drowned out under the deluge of gendered attacks.
She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of victims of sexual violence.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after an attack during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
A Path to Recovery
Now, eight months after reaching space, she noted the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the supporters whose kindness pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.
She added that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had come out of the mission, such as increased focus on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.
Flight Details
The fully automated New Shepard rocket launched from its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a short trip that exceeded the Kármán line of outer space.
The diverse crew also included accomplished professionals from different industries.
The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
