Crew Member Reveals Depression In the Wake of Wave of Backlash Following Journey

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after being subjected to a massive wave of online abuse in the wake of a landmark journey to the edge of space.

The 34-year-old activist – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also featured high-profile passengers.

The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact.

Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who made history as the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, describing a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the journey.

She characterized the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.

“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.”

Buried Under Misogyny

Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in women's health research and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her scientific research and extensive preparation to the historic significance of her heritage – was overshadowed under the tide of misogyny.

She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of survivors of assault.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a years-long quest for justice.

Finding Solid Ground

Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the well-wishers whose support were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.

She added that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the flight, such as spotlight on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a short trip that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of space.

The diverse crew also featured accomplished professionals from various fields.

The company behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company founded by a Amazon founder.