Crew Member Discloses Mental Health Struggle After Wave of Harassment Following Journey
A Vietnamese-American astronaut has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission.
The 34-year-old activist – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission earlier this year, which also featured high-profile passengers.
The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” she recounted in a online statement, recalling a phone call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the landing.
She portrayed the press attention and digital reaction as an unprecedented psychological assault.
“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 gynecological science and operated research during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – from her scientific research and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her background – was overshadowed under the deluge of gendered attacks.
She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking advocacy championing the cause of survivors of assault.
Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after an attack during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
A Path to Recovery
In the time since fulfilling her dream, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the followers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she wrote.
She noted that even with the backlash, considerable good had emerged from the flight, including increased focus on her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities.
About the Mission
The self-operating spacecraft lifted off from its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that crossed the edge of space.
The team of pioneers also included experts in multiple disciplines.
The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a well-known tech mogul.
