Astronaut Discloses Emotional Distress In the Wake of Wave of Backlash Following Journey
A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.
Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also included celebrity crewmates.
The high-profile flight was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a public message, describing a supportive conversation from a mission companion 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 confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”
Eclipsed by Backlash
Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on women's health research and performed experiments during the mission, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and extensive preparation to the symbolic importance of her heritage – was drowned out under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.
She is best known for her pioneering work fighting for justice for victims of sexual violence.
Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was put on hold after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
A Path to Recovery
In the time since fulfilling her dream, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose kindness helped save her. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.
She concluded that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had come out of the experience, including elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism.
Flight Details
The fully automated spacecraft lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of space.
The group of women also comprised experts in different industries.
The venture behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company launched by a well-known tech mogul.
