Astronaut Reveals Depression After Wave of Harassment After Historic Trip
A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a landmark journey to the edge of space.
The 34-year-old activist – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also featured well-known figures.
The high-profile flight was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a online statement, describing a check-in call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the flight.
She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.
“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” 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 all her lifelong efforts – including her lab work and years of training to the symbolic importance of her background – was buried under the tide of sexist vitriol.
She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of survivors of assault.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle.
A Path to Recovery
Months following reaching space, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the well-wishers whose kindness pulled her through. “You all saved me,” she said.
She concluded that even with the backlash, considerable good had emerged from the mission, such as increased focus on her scientific work and chances to influence leaders.
About the Mission
The self-operating spacecraft lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a 11-minute journey that crossed the edge of outer space.
The diverse crew also included experts in different industries.
The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company launched by a well-known tech mogul.
