Astronaut Reveals Emotional Distress In the Wake of Wave of Online Abuse After Historic Trip
A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after being subjected to a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space.
Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission earlier this year, which also carried celebrity crewmates.
The high-profile flight was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response buried her dreams under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a public message, describing a phone call from a fellow crew member in the days following the journey.
She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy 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.”
Eclipsed by Backlash
The researcher, who has focused her career on women's health research and operated research during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – from her studies and years of training to the symbolic importance of her background – was overshadowed under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.
She is widely recognized for her pioneering work protecting the rights of survivors of assault.
Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after being assaulted during her time as a student, leading to a years-long quest for justice.
Finding Solid Ground
In the time since fulfilling her dream, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose support pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed.
She noted that amid the criticism, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the mission, including elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism.
About the Mission
The fully automated New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that passed the internationally recognized boundary of space.
The team of pioneers also included leaders in different industries.
The company behind the mission is a private space firm founded by a Amazon founder.
