🔗 Share this article Crew Member Discloses Emotional Distress In the Wake of Deluge of Harassment After Historic Trip Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after being subjected to a massive wave of online abuse in the wake of a historic all-female space mission. Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also carried well-known figures. The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact. Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response eclipsed her moment under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I told her my depression might last for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, recalling a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the days following the landing. She described the press attention and digital reaction as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Buried Under Misogyny The researcher, who has focused her career on female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her background – was drowned out under the avalanche of gendered attacks. She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for survivors of assault. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was put on hold after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice. Finding Solid Ground Now, eight months after reaching space, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she expressed gratitude the followers whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed. She added that amid the criticism, important benefits had emerged from the flight, including elevated attention for her scientific work and chances to influence leaders. About the Mission The computer-piloted spacecraft departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a short trip that passed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space. The group of women also featured accomplished professionals from various fields. The enterprise behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after being subjected to a massive wave of online abuse in the wake of a historic all-female space mission. Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also carried well-known figures. The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact. Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response eclipsed her moment under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I told her my depression might last for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, recalling a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the days following the landing. She described the press attention and digital reaction as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Buried Under Misogyny The researcher, who has focused her career on female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her background – was drowned out under the avalanche of gendered attacks. She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for survivors of assault. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was put on hold after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice. Finding Solid Ground Now, eight months after reaching space, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she expressed gratitude the followers whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed. She added that amid the criticism, important benefits had emerged from the flight, including elevated attention for her scientific work and chances to influence leaders. About the Mission The computer-piloted spacecraft departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a short trip that passed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space. The group of women also featured accomplished professionals from various fields. The enterprise behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.