Space Traveler Discloses Mental Health Struggle Following Deluge of Backlash After Historic Trip

A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after facing a relentless barrage of criticism in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.

The 34-year-old activist – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also carried well-known figures.

The high-profile flight was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact.

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

“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” she recounted in a online statement, describing a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the landing.

She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault.

“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”

Overshadowed by Sexism

The researcher, who has dedicated her work to women's health research and operated research during the flight, said every professional achievement – from her lab work and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was drowned out under the avalanche of gendered attacks.

She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of survivors of assault.

Her own goal of reaching space was paused after an attack during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle.

The Fog Begins to Lift

In the time since fulfilling her dream, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she expressed gratitude the supporters whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.

She noted that amid the criticism, considerable good had come out of the mission, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

Flight Details

The self-operating New Shepard rocket departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the Kármán line of outer space.

The team of pioneers also included accomplished professionals from different industries.

The company behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.