Astronaut Shares Mental Health Struggle After Wave of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her battle with depression after being subjected to a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also featured high-profile passengers.

The mission was met with derision by some, who cited its expense and carbon footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the negative reaction eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a public message, referring to a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the landing.

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

“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she wrote. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”

Buried Under Misogyny

The researcher, who has dedicated her work to gynecological science and performed experiments during the flight, said every professional achievement – from her scientific research and extensive preparation to the historic significance of her roots – was buried under the deluge of sexist vitriol.

She is best known for her pioneering work fighting for justice for survivors of assault.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice.

The Fog Begins to Lift

Now, eight months after reaching space, she noted the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the followers whose kindness were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.

She added that despite the negativity, considerable good had come out of the experience, such as spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

About the Mission

The fully automated New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the Kármán line of space.

The group of women also comprised experts in different industries.

The enterprise behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a well-known tech mogul.