Astronaut Discloses Mental Health Struggle 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 relentless barrage of criticism 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 brief journey to space earlier this year, which also featured celebrity crewmates.
The mission was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the negative reaction eclipsed her moment under an torrent of sexist abuse.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, referring to a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the journey.
She described the press attention and digital reaction as an unprecedented psychological assault.
“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.”
Eclipsed by Backlash
The researcher, who has dedicated her work to gynecological science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her studies and years of training to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.
She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after an attack during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice.
Finding Solid Ground
Months following reaching space, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she expressed gratitude the supporters whose support helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she wrote.
She noted that even with the backlash, considerable good had emerged from the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities.
About the Mission
The self-operating spacecraft departed its launch site in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that passed the Kármán line of space.
The diverse crew also featured experts in different industries.
The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company launched by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
