Astronaut Shares Emotional Distress In the Wake of Wave of Harassment Post-Spaceflight

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after being subjected to a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in April, which also included well-known figures.

The mission was met with derision by some, who cited its expense and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, recalling a check-in call from a mission companion in the period after the journey.

She described the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she wrote. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

Ms. Nguyen, who has dedicated her work to women's health research and operated research during the mission, said every professional achievement – from her studies and years of training to the symbolic importance of her heritage – was buried under the tide of misogyny.

She is best known for her pioneering work championing the cause of survivors of assault.

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

The Fog Begins to Lift

Months following achieving her goal, she noted the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the followers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.

She added that even with the backlash, considerable good had emerged from the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and chances to influence leaders.

Flight Details

The fully automated New Shepard rocket departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of space.

The group of women also included accomplished professionals from different industries.

The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a Amazon founder.