Crew Member Discloses Emotional Distress Following Wave of Harassment Following Journey
A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her battle with depression after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.
The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission earlier this year, which also featured well-known figures.
The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and carbon footprint.
Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a public message, referring to a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the landing.
She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault.
“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”
Overshadowed by Sexism
Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her studies and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was overshadowed under the avalanche of gendered attacks.
She is best known for her tireless campaigning fighting for justice for sexual assault survivors.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was put on hold after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
Finding Solid Ground
Now, eight months after reaching space, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.
She concluded that despite the negativity, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the flight, including increased focus on her women's health research and chances to influence leaders.
The Historic Journey
The self-operating spacecraft launched from Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the Kármán line of outer space.
The team of pioneers also featured leaders in multiple disciplines.
The company behind the flight is a private space firm launched by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
