Astronaut Discloses Mental Health Struggle Following ‘Tsunami of Harassment Following Journey

A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her battle with depression after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the wake of a landmark journey to the edge of space.

The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also carried high-profile passengers.

The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact.

Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a social media post, describing a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the landing.

She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping.

“For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she wrote. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

The researcher, who has conducted studies in female health science and operated research during the flight, said every professional achievement – from her lab work and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her heritage – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks.

She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for survivors of assault.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was paused after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a years-long quest for justice.

Finding Solid Ground

In the time since reaching space, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose kindness helped save her. “You all saved me,” she wrote.

She noted that even with the backlash, important benefits had resulted from the experience, such as increased focus on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

About the Mission

The self-operating spacecraft departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a short trip that exceeded the edge of outer space.

The diverse crew also featured experts in multiple disciplines.

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