Space Traveler Shares Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of Deluge of Harassment Following Journey
A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her emotional downturn after enduring a relentless barrage of criticism in the wake of a landmark journey to the edge of space.
The 34-year-old activist – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also included well-known figures.
The mission was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a public message, describing a phone call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the flight.
She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an unprecedented psychological assault.
“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
The researcher, who has focused her career on gynecological science and performed experiments during the mission, said every professional achievement – including her studies and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her background – was buried under the deluge of misogyny.
She is widely recognized for her pioneering work fighting for justice for victims of sexual violence.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
The Fog Begins to Lift
In the time since achieving her goal, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the supporters whose messages of encouragement helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed.
She concluded that amid the criticism, considerable good had resulted from the mission, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism.
The Historic Journey
The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from its launch site in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.
The team of pioneers also featured leaders in multiple disciplines.
The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
