Space Traveler Shares Emotional Distress Following Wave of Online Abuse Following Journey

A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her battle with depression after facing a relentless barrage of criticism in the wake of a historic all-female space mission.

The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also carried celebrity crewmates.

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

Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a online statement, recalling a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the aftermath of the landing.

She portrayed the news reports and online discourse as an unprecedented psychological assault.

“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in women's health research and operated research during the mission, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and astronaut training to the historic significance of her roots – was drowned out under the deluge of misogyny.

She is best known for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of survivors of assault.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was put on hold after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

The Fog Begins to Lift

Months following fulfilling her dream, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose support helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she said.

She noted that despite the negativity, significant positive outcomes had come out of the mission, including spotlight on her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities.

About the Mission

The self-operating New Shepard rocket launched from its launch site in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the Kármán line of space.

The group of women also featured leaders in different industries.

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