Crew Member Shares Mental Health Struggle After Deluge of Online Abuse After Historic Trip
A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her battle with depression after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.
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 featured celebrity crewmates.
The mission was met with derision by some, who cited its expense and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the pioneer for her community, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a online statement, referring to a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the days following the journey.
She portrayed the news reports and online discourse 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.”
Buried Under Misogyny
Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and extensive preparation to the symbolic importance of her roots – was buried under the deluge of misogyny.
She is widely recognized for her pioneering work protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence.
Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was paused after being assaulted during her time as a student, leading to a years-long quest for justice.
The Fog Begins to Lift
Months following reaching space, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the supporters whose kindness helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she said.
She noted that amid the criticism, important benefits had resulted from the flight, including spotlight on her women's health research and chances to influence leaders.
Flight Details
The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a short trip that passed the Kármán line of space.
The group of women also comprised leaders in different industries.
The enterprise behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company founded by a Amazon founder.
