Crew Member Discloses Mental Health Struggle Following ‘Tsunami of Backlash Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her battle with depression after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also included high-profile passengers.

The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and carbon footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” the astronaut shared in a social media post, describing a phone call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the flight.

She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault.

“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she revealed. “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 female health science and operated research during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her studies and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was buried under the tide of misogyny.

She is best known for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of survivors of assault.

Her own goal of reaching space was deferred after an attack during her time as a student, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

A Path to Recovery

Months following achieving her goal, she has stated the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she expressed gratitude the supporters whose support helped save her. “You all saved me,” she said.

She concluded that despite the negativity, considerable good had resulted from the flight, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

About the Mission

The fully automated New Shepard rocket departed Texas in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that passed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.

The team of pioneers also featured experts in various fields.

The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a well-known tech mogul.