Crew Member Discloses Depression Following Deluge of Harassment After Historic Trip

A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her battle with depression after being subjected to a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also carried well-known figures.

The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, describing a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the landing.

She portrayed the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” 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 focused her career on women's health research and performed experiments during the flight, said every professional achievement – including her scientific research and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her roots – was buried under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.

She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy championing the cause of victims of sexual violence.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused 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 thanked the supporters whose messages of encouragement helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.

She noted that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had resulted from the mission, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

About the Mission

The self-operating spacecraft departed its launch site in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that crossed the Kármán line of outer space.

The diverse crew also included leaders in various fields.

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