Crew Member Shares Mental Health Struggle Following Deluge of Backlash Following Journey
A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after facing a “tsunami of harassment” 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 earlier this year, which also carried high-profile passengers.
The much-publicized journey was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the pioneer for her community, stated the vicious response eclipsed her moment under an torrent of sexist abuse.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, referring to a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the journey.
She described the press attention and digital reaction as an unprecedented psychological assault.
“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she revealed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”
Overshadowed by Sexism
The researcher, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and operated research during the mission, said every professional achievement – from her lab work and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her heritage – was drowned out under the tide of misogyny.
She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence.
Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was paused after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle.
A Path to Recovery
Months following fulfilling her dream, she noted the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she affirmed.
She concluded that amid the criticism, considerable good had come out of the mission, such as increased focus on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.
The Historic Journey
The self-operating spacecraft departed Texas in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a short trip that crossed the edge of space.
The group of women also included experts in multiple disciplines.
The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a Amazon founder.
