Crew Member Shares Emotional Distress After Wave of Online Abuse Following Journey
A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.
The 34-year-old activist – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also featured high-profile passengers.
The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred.
“I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a public message, recalling a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the journey.
She portrayed 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. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”
Eclipsed by Backlash
The researcher, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and operated research during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and extensive preparation to the symbolic importance of her roots – was drowned out under the tide of misogyny.
She is widely recognized for her pioneering work fighting for justice for survivors of assault.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after an attack during her time as a student, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
A Path to Recovery
In the time since achieving her goal, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she acknowledged the supporters whose support were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.
She concluded that despite the negativity, important benefits had emerged from the flight, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and chances to influence leaders.
About the Mission
The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that passed the Kármán line of space.
The group of women also comprised accomplished professionals from multiple disciplines.
The company behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company founded by a well-known tech mogul.
