Crew Member Shares Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of ‘Tsunami of Harassment Following Journey

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after facing a relentless barrage of criticism in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission in April, which also featured high-profile passengers.

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

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” the astronaut shared in a social media post, referring to a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the flight.

She portrayed the press attention and digital reaction as an unprecedented psychological assault.

“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

The researcher, who has dedicated her work to women's health research and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and years of training to the symbolic importance of her heritage – was overshadowed under the avalanche of misogyny.

She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of survivors of assault.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle.

The Fog Begins to Lift

In the time since achieving her goal, she noted the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the followers whose support pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.

She added that amid the criticism, significant positive outcomes had resulted from the flight, such as spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

About the Mission

The computer-piloted spacecraft departed Texas in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a short trip that exceeded the edge of outer space.

The group of women also featured experts in multiple disciplines.

The venture behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a Amazon founder.