Crew Member Reveals Depression After Wave of Online Abuse After Historic Trip
A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after enduring a relentless barrage of criticism in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.
The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in the spring, which also included celebrity crewmates.
The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact.
Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the pioneer for her community, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”.
“I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” she recounted in a social media post, describing a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the flight.
She portrayed 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 wrote. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.”
Eclipsed by Backlash
The researcher, who has focused her career on women's health research and conducted tests during the mission, said every professional achievement – including her scientific research and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her heritage – was overshadowed under the avalanche of sexist vitriol.
She is best known for her pioneering work championing the cause of victims of sexual violence.
Her own aspiration for spaceflight was put on hold after an attack during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability.
The Fog Begins to Lift
Now, eight months after fulfilling her dream, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the followers whose support were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she affirmed.
She added that amid the criticism, considerable good had emerged from the mission, such as increased focus on her scientific work and platforms for her activism.
Flight Details
The self-operating New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in April, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the Kármán line of outer space.
The group of women also comprised accomplished professionals from different industries.
The venture behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a Amazon founder.