Crew Member Shares Emotional Distress After Wave of Online Abuse Following Journey

A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her battle with depression after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.

The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also carried well-known figures.

The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” she recounted in a social media post, describing a check-in call from a mission companion in the days following the journey.

She described the press attention and digital reaction as an unprecedented psychological assault.

“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she confessed. “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 operated research during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – including her lab work and astronaut training to the historic significance of her background – was drowned out under the tide of gendered attacks.

She is best known for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of sexual assault survivors.

Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after an attack during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

The Fog Begins to Lift

Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose support pulled her through. “You all saved me,” she affirmed.

She concluded that amid the criticism, important benefits had emerged from the experience, such as increased focus on her scientific work and chances to influence leaders.

About the Mission

The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a 11-minute journey that passed the internationally recognized boundary of space.

The group of women also included leaders in different industries.

The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.