🔗 Share this article Crew Member Reveals Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of ‘Tsunami of Backlash After Historic Trip Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was aboard the automated spacecraft in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her emotional downturn after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission. 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 mission was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred. “I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a social media post, referring to a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the aftermath of the flight. She portrayed the press attention and digital reaction 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 revealed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.” Overshadowed by Sexism Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in women's health research and operated research during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her roots – was buried under the avalanche of sexist vitriol. She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for survivors of assault. Her own goal of reaching space was paused after an attack during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle. The Fog Begins to Lift Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she thanked the followers whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She added that despite the negativity, important benefits had come out of the flight, such as elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism. The Historic Journey The fully automated New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space. The group of women also included experts in various fields. The enterprise behind the mission is a private space firm founded by a Amazon founder.
Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was aboard the automated spacecraft in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her emotional downturn after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission. 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 mission was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred. “I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a social media post, referring to a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the aftermath of the flight. She portrayed the press attention and digital reaction 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 revealed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.” Overshadowed by Sexism Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in women's health research and operated research during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her roots – was buried under the avalanche of sexist vitriol. She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for survivors of assault. Her own goal of reaching space was paused after an attack during her university years, leading to a protracted legal battle. The Fog Begins to Lift Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she thanked the followers whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She added that despite the negativity, important benefits had come out of the flight, such as elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism. The Historic Journey The fully automated New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space. The group of women also included experts in various fields. The enterprise behind the mission is a private space firm founded by a Amazon founder.