Crew Member Shares Emotional Distress Following Wave of Harassment Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her emotional downturn after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space.

Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also featured celebrity crewmates.

The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who cited its expense and carbon footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”.

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, referring to a check-in call from a fellow crew member in the aftermath of the journey.

She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she revealed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Buried Under Misogyny

Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on women's health research and operated research during the mission, said everything she had worked for – from her scientific research and astronaut training to the historic significance of her heritage – was drowned out under the tide of gendered attacks.

She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy championing the cause of sexual assault survivors.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a protracted legal battle.

Finding Solid Ground

In the time since reaching space, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the followers whose kindness were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.

She concluded that amid the criticism, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the mission, such as spotlight on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

About the Mission

The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from Texas in April, carrying the historic roster on a short trip that passed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.

The team of pioneers also featured accomplished professionals from various fields.

The company behind the mission is a private space firm founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.