Space Traveler Reveals Emotional Distress Following Deluge of Online Abuse Following Journey

A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her battle with depression after being subjected to a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space.

The 34-year-old activist – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in April, which also carried celebrity crewmates.

The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, recalling a check-in call from a fellow crew member in the period after the flight.

She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.

“Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”

Buried Under Misogyny

Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on female health science and operated research during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – including her studies and years of training to the personal milestone of her background – was overshadowed under the deluge of sexist vitriol.

She is best known for her tireless campaigning fighting for justice for survivors of assault.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was paused after an attack during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle.

A Path to Recovery

In the time since achieving her goal, she noted the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the supporters whose messages of encouragement helped save her. “You all saved me,” she said.

She added that amid the criticism, considerable good had resulted from the mission, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities.

Flight Details

The fully automated New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the edge of space.

The team of pioneers also featured leaders in multiple disciplines.

The venture behind the mission is a private space firm established by a well-known tech mogul.