Space Traveler Shares Emotional Distress Following Wave of Harassment Following Journey
A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her emotional downturn after being subjected to a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a landmark journey to the edge of space.
Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also featured high-profile passengers.
The mission was met with derision by some, who cited its expense and carbon footprint.
Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” the astronaut shared in a public message, describing a phone call from a mission companion in the days following the landing.
She portrayed the news reports and online discourse as an unprecedented psychological assault.
“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.”
Overshadowed by Sexism
Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in women's health research and conducted tests during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – from her studies and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her background – was overshadowed under the deluge of gendered attacks.
She is most acclaimed for her pioneering work protecting the rights of survivors of assault.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after an attack during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.
A Path to Recovery
In the time since fulfilling her dream, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the supporters whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.
She concluded that amid the criticism, important benefits had resulted from the mission, including spotlight on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.
About the Mission
The fully automated spacecraft departed Texas in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.
The group of women also comprised accomplished professionals from various fields.
The enterprise behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company launched by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.