Crew Member Discloses Mental Health Struggle Following Wave of Backlash Post-Spaceflight

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also featured celebrity crewmates.

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

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” she recounted in a public message, referring to a phone call from a fellow crew member in the days following the journey.

She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault.

“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she revealed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”

Buried Under Misogyny

Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in women's health research and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and years of training to the personal milestone of her background – was overshadowed under the tide of sexist vitriol.

She is widely recognized for her pioneering work championing the cause of victims of sexual violence.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.

The Fog Begins to Lift

Now, eight months after reaching space, she noted the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the supporters whose kindness helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed.

She concluded that despite the negativity, important benefits had come out of the flight, such as elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket launched from its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that passed the edge of space.

The team of pioneers also featured experts in different industries.

The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a well-known tech mogul.