🔗 Share this article Astronaut Discloses Depression In the Wake of Wave of Backlash Following Journey The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was aboard the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after being subjected to a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission. The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in April, which also carried high-profile passengers. The mission was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a social media post, referring to a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the aftermath of the landing. She characterized the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”. “For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she confessed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.” Buried Under Misogyny The researcher, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and performed experiments during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and astronaut training to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the avalanche of sexist vitriol. She is widely recognized for her pioneering work championing the cause of victims of sexual violence. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a protracted legal battle. A Path to Recovery In the time since achieving her goal, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose kindness helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed. She concluded that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had come out of the flight, including elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism. About the Mission The computer-piloted spacecraft launched from its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the Kármán line of outer space. The group of women also included experts in multiple disciplines. The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a well-known tech mogul.
The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was aboard the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after being subjected to a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission. The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in April, which also carried high-profile passengers. The mission was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a social media post, referring to a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the aftermath of the landing. She characterized the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”. “For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she confessed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.” Buried Under Misogyny The researcher, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and performed experiments during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and astronaut training to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the avalanche of sexist vitriol. She is widely recognized for her pioneering work championing the cause of victims of sexual violence. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a protracted legal battle. A Path to Recovery In the time since achieving her goal, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose kindness helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed. She concluded that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had come out of the flight, including elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism. About the Mission The computer-piloted spacecraft launched from its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the Kármán line of outer space. The group of women also included experts in multiple disciplines. The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a well-known tech mogul.