🔗 Share this article Astronaut Reveals Depression After Wave of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after being subjected to a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also featured celebrity crewmates. The high-profile flight was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact. Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” she recounted in a online statement, recalling a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the journey. She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she wrote. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Overshadowed by Sexism The researcher, who has focused her career on women's health research and conducted tests during the mission, said every professional achievement – including her lab work and extensive preparation to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the deluge of misogyny. She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after an attack during her time as a student, leading to a protracted legal battle. The Fog Begins to Lift In the time since reaching space, she noted the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose kindness were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed. She noted that amid the criticism, considerable good had emerged from the experience, such as spotlight on her scientific work and platforms for her activism. About the Mission The fully automated New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a short trip that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of space. The group of women also featured experts in different industries. The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a Amazon founder.
Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after being subjected to a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also featured celebrity crewmates. The high-profile flight was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact. Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” she recounted in a online statement, recalling a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the journey. She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she wrote. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Overshadowed by Sexism The researcher, who has focused her career on women's health research and conducted tests during the mission, said every professional achievement – including her lab work and extensive preparation to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the deluge of misogyny. She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after an attack during her time as a student, leading to a protracted legal battle. The Fog Begins to Lift In the time since reaching space, she noted the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose kindness were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she affirmed. She noted that amid the criticism, considerable good had emerged from the experience, such as spotlight on her scientific work and platforms for her activism. About the Mission The fully automated New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a short trip that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of space. The group of women also featured experts in different industries. The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a Amazon founder.