Astronaut Shares Emotional Distress After Deluge of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight
A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.
Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also included celebrity crewmates.
The much-publicized journey was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, referring to a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the journey.
She described the news reports and online discourse as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.
“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”
Buried Under Misogyny
The researcher, who has focused her career on gynecological science and conducted tests during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – from her studies and years of training to the personal milestone of her background – was drowned out under the deluge of gendered attacks.
She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence.
Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was put on hold after being assaulted during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice.
Finding Solid Ground
In the time since reaching space, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the followers whose support pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed.
She concluded that amid the criticism, important benefits had come out of the flight, including elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism.
About the Mission
The computer-piloted spacecraft departed Texas in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that passed the edge of outer space.
The group of women also featured experts in various fields.
The venture behind the flight is a private space firm launched by a Amazon founder.
