Space Traveler Discloses Depression After Wave of Backlash After Historic Trip

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 pioneering women-only spaceflight.

The 34-year-old activist – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also featured high-profile passengers.

The mission was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, recalling a check-in call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the journey.

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

“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

The researcher, who has conducted studies in female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and years of training to the historic significance of her heritage – was overshadowed under the deluge of misogyny.

She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of sexual assault survivors.

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

The Fog Begins to Lift

Now, eight months after fulfilling her dream, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the well-wishers whose kindness helped save her. “Your support rescued me,” she said.

She noted that amid the criticism, considerable good had resulted from the mission, such as spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The self-operating New Shepard rocket launched from its launch site in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a short trip that passed the Kármán line of space.

The team of pioneers also featured experts in different industries.

The venture behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company launched by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.