Astronaut Shares Mental Health Struggle Following Deluge of Harassment After Historic Trip

A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after being subjected to a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a historic all-female space mission.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also carried celebrity crewmates.

The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, referring to a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the journey.

She portrayed the press attention and digital reaction as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.

“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she wrote. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

The researcher, who has focused her career on female health science and operated research during the flight, said every professional achievement – including her scientific research and astronaut training to the historic significance of her heritage – was overshadowed under the tide of gendered attacks.

She is most acclaimed for her pioneering work championing the cause of victims of sexual violence.

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

The Fog Begins to Lift

Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she expressed gratitude the supporters whose kindness helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she said.

She concluded that even with the backlash, important benefits had come out of the flight, including elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities.

About the Mission

The fully automated New Shepard rocket departed its launch site in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that passed the Kármán line of space.

The diverse crew also included accomplished professionals from various fields.

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