Space Traveler Shares Depression After Wave of Backlash Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her battle with depression after enduring a relentless barrage of criticism in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

The 34-year-old activist – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also featured high-profile passengers.

The mission was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact.

Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, recalling a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the flight.

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. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

The researcher, who has conducted studies in female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and years of training to the symbolic importance of her background – was drowned out under the tide of misogyny.

She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of survivors of assault.

Her own goal of reaching space was paused after being assaulted during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

Finding Solid Ground

Months following fulfilling her dream, she has stated the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she thanked the followers whose support helped save her. “You all saved me,” she wrote.

She concluded that amid the criticism, considerable good had emerged from the experience, such as increased focus on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

About the Mission

The self-operating New Shepard rocket departed Texas in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of space.

The diverse crew also comprised leaders in different industries.

The company behind the mission is a private space firm established by a Amazon founder.