Astronaut Discloses Mental Health Struggle After ‘Tsunami of Backlash After Historic Trip

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.

The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also featured high-profile passengers.

The high-profile flight was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who made history 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,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, describing a check-in call from a mission companion in the period after the flight.

She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy 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 confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”

Buried Under Misogyny

Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on women's health research and conducted tests during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – from her lab work and years of training to the historic significance of her background – was drowned out under the avalanche of gendered attacks.

She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy championing the cause of survivors of assault.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was paused after being assaulted during her time as a student, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

A Path to Recovery

Now, eight months after fulfilling her dream, 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 wrote.

She concluded that amid the criticism, considerable good had emerged from the mission, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and chances to influence leaders.

The Historic Journey

The self-operating New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in April, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that passed the Kármán line of outer space.

The team of pioneers also featured accomplished professionals from various fields.

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