Crew Member Discloses Emotional Distress Following Wave of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also carried celebrity crewmates.

The mission was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint.

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

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, recalling a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the aftermath of the flight.

She characterized 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 wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Buried Under Misogyny

The researcher, who has dedicated her work to female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her studies and extensive preparation to the personal milestone of her roots – was buried under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.

She is widely recognized for her pioneering work championing the cause of sexual assault survivors.

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

A Path to Recovery

Months following fulfilling her dream, she has stated the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the followers whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.

She noted that even with the backlash, important benefits had emerged from the mission, including spotlight on her scientific work and new advocacy opportunities.

Flight Details

The computer-piloted spacecraft departed Texas in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.

The diverse crew also included accomplished professionals from different industries.

The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a well-known tech mogul.