A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her battle with depression after being subjected to a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.
The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also carried celebrity crewmates.
The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response buried her dreams under an landslide of gendered hatred.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, recalling a check-in call from a fellow crew member in the period after the journey.
She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping.
“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she revealed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”
Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on women's health research and operated research during the flight, said every professional achievement – from her lab work and years of training to the historic significance of her background – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks.
She is best known for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of survivors of assault.
Her own goal of reaching space was paused after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a years-long quest for justice.
In the time since achieving her goal, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the followers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “Your support rescued me,” she said.
She added that despite the negativity, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the flight, such as spotlight on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.
The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket departed Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that passed the Kármán line of outer space.
The diverse crew also comprised leaders in different industries.
The company behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
Milan is een ervaren opticien met een passie voor visuele technologie en klantgerichtheid.
