Astronaut Shares Emotional Distress After Wave of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight
A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space.
The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also featured celebrity crewmates.
The much-publicized journey was widely scrutinized by some, who cited its expense and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” the astronaut shared in a social media post, describing a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the period after the landing.
She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”.
“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”
Eclipsed by Backlash
The researcher, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and operated research during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her studies and years of training to the historic significance of her roots – was overshadowed under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.
She is best known for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of victims of sexual violence.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
A Path to Recovery
Now, eight months after reaching space, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she expressed gratitude the followers whose kindness helped save her. “You all saved me,” she wrote.
She concluded that even with the backlash, important benefits had come out of the mission, such as increased focus on her women's health research and platforms for her activism.
Flight Details
The self-operating New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a short trip that passed the Kármán line of outer space.
The team of pioneers also featured experts in multiple disciplines.
The company behind the flight is a private space firm launched by a well-known tech mogul.