Astronaut Shares Mental Health Struggle Following Wave of Harassment Post-Spaceflight

A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her emotional downturn after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space.

The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also featured well-known figures.

The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who questioned its cost and carbon footprint.

Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an torrent of sexist abuse.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a online statement, referring to a phone call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the flight.

She portrayed the news reports and online discourse 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 wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Buried Under Misogyny

The researcher, who has focused her career on women's health research and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her scientific research and astronaut training to the historic significance of her background – was overshadowed under the avalanche of misogyny.

She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of survivors of assault.

Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a long campaign for accountability.

Finding Solid Ground

In the time since fulfilling her dream, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the followers whose support pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote.

She added that amid the criticism, significant positive outcomes had come out of the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism.

The Historic Journey

The fully automated New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a short trip that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.

The team of pioneers also included leaders in different industries.

The enterprise behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company established by a Amazon founder.