Crew Member Shares Emotional Distress In the Wake of Deluge of Backlash Following Journey

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after being subjected to a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a historic all-female space mission.

The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also included celebrity crewmates.

The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact.

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

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

She described 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. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

The researcher, who has conducted studies in female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her scientific research and extensive preparation to the personal milestone of her heritage – was overshadowed under the tide of misogyny.

She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for sexual assault survivors.

Her own goal of reaching space was deferred after an attack during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

The Fog Begins to Lift

Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she has stated the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose kindness were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.

She concluded that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the mission, such as increased focus on her scientific work and new advocacy opportunities.

The Historic Journey

The fully automated New Shepard rocket departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the Kármán line of outer space.

The group of women also featured leaders in different industries.

The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company launched by a well-known tech mogul.