Crew Member Discloses Depression After Deluge of Online Abuse After Historic Trip

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her battle with depression after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

Amanda Nguyen – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also included well-known figures.

The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who cited its expense and ecological impact.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the vicious response buried her dreams under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, referring to a check-in call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the flight.

She described the press attention and digital reaction as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” 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 conducted studies in female health science and operated research during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and years of training to the personal milestone of her roots – was overshadowed under the avalanche of gendered attacks.

She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for sexual assault survivors.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after being assaulted during her time as a student, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

The Fog Begins to Lift

In the time since reaching space, she noted the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the supporters whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she said.

She concluded that even with the backlash, important benefits had come out of the flight, such as increased focus on her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities.

About the Mission

The self-operating New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the Kármán line of space.

The team of pioneers also included leaders in multiple disciplines.

The enterprise behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company launched by a well-known tech mogul.