Crew Member Shares Emotional Distress In the Wake of Deluge of Harassment After Historic Trip
A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her emotional downturn after being subjected to a massive wave of online abuse 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 earlier this year, which also featured well-known figures.
The mission was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and carbon footprint.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a public message, referring to a phone call from a fellow crew member in the period after the landing.
She characterized the press attention and digital reaction as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.
“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she wrote. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”
Overshadowed by Sexism
Ms. Nguyen, who has dedicated her work to women's health research and conducted tests during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her heritage – was drowned out under the tide of gendered attacks.
She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after being assaulted during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle.
Finding Solid Ground
Months following fulfilling her dream, she noted the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose kindness pulled her through. “You all saved me,” she affirmed.
She noted that amid the criticism, important benefits had emerged from the mission, such as spotlight on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.
Flight Details
The self-operating New Shepard rocket departed Texas in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a short trip that passed the Kármán line of space.
The team of pioneers also included experts in multiple disciplines.
The enterprise behind the flight is a private space firm established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
