Crew Member Discloses Mental Health Struggle After Deluge of Backlash Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her battle with depression after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.

The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also featured celebrity crewmates.

The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact.

Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who made history as the pioneer for her community, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, recalling a phone call from a fellow crew member in the period after 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. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

The researcher, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and operated research during the flight, said every professional achievement – including her studies and extensive preparation to the symbolic importance of her heritage – was overshadowed under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.

She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of survivors of assault.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was paused after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a protracted legal battle.

The Fog Begins to Lift

Months following achieving her goal, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose support pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.

She added that despite the negativity, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the mission, such as increased focus on her scientific work and new advocacy opportunities.

About the Mission

The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket departed its launch site in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that passed the edge of space.

The team of pioneers also comprised experts in multiple disciplines.

The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a Amazon founder.