Crew Member Shares Emotional Distress After Wave of Online Abuse Following Journey

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her battle with depression after being subjected to a relentless barrage of criticism in the wake of a landmark journey to the edge of space.

The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in April, which also carried celebrity crewmates.

The mission was heavily criticized by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact.

Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a public message, describing a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the journey.

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

“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” 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 female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – from her scientific research and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her roots – was drowned out under the deluge of gendered attacks.

She is widely recognized for her pioneering work protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence.

Her own goal of reaching space was paused after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice.

Finding Solid Ground

Months following achieving her goal, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement helped save her. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.

She concluded that despite the negativity, considerable good had resulted from the flight, such as elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism.

Flight Details

The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a short trip that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.

The diverse crew also included leaders in various fields.

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