Crew Member Shares Emotional Distress After Deluge of Backlash After Historic Trip

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her emotional downturn after being subjected to a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also carried celebrity crewmates.

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

Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the pioneer for her community, 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 online statement, referring to a check-in call from a mission companion in the period after the journey.

She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she revealed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Overshadowed by Sexism

Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – from her studies and years of training to the historic significance of her background – was overshadowed under the avalanche of misogyny.

She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for sexual assault survivors.

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

The Fog Begins to Lift

In the time since fulfilling her dream, she noted the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the followers whose kindness were her lifeline. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.

She added that despite the negativity, considerable good had resulted from the experience, such as spotlight on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The self-operating spacecraft launched from its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.

The team of pioneers also comprised leaders in various fields.

The enterprise behind the flight is a private space firm established by a Amazon founder.