Crew Member Shares Emotional Distress After Deluge of Backlash Following Journey

A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.

The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in April, which also included high-profile passengers.

The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who cited its expense and ecological impact.

Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an landslide of gendered hatred.

“I told her my depression might last for years,” the astronaut shared in a social media post, describing a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the days following the flight.

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

“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”

Eclipsed by Backlash

The researcher, who has focused her career on women's health research and performed experiments during the flight, said every professional achievement – including her lab work and years of training to the historic significance of her roots – was drowned out under the deluge of sexist vitriol.

She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy championing the cause of sexual assault survivors.

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

The Fog Begins to Lift

In the time since achieving her goal, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the followers whose kindness pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed.

She noted that despite the negativity, important benefits had come out of the experience, such as spotlight on her women's health research and chances to influence leaders.

Flight Details

The computer-piloted spacecraft launched from Texas in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the Kármán line of space.

The diverse crew also included experts in various fields.

The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.