🔗 Share this article Astronaut Shares Emotional Distress In the Wake of ‘Tsunami of Backlash Following Journey Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was aboard the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her emotional downturn after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space. Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also included well-known figures. The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”. “I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, recalling a phone call from a fellow crew member in the period after the journey. She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she revealed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.” Overshadowed by Sexism The researcher, who has focused her career on female health science and performed experiments during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – from her lab work and extensive preparation to the personal milestone of her background – was overshadowed under the tide of gendered attacks. She is best known for her pioneering work championing the cause of sexual assault survivors. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was put on hold after being assaulted during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability. The Fog Begins to Lift Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the supporters whose support helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She concluded that even with the backlash, important benefits had resulted from the flight, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism. Flight Details The self-operating spacecraft 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 diverse crew also included experts in various fields. The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a well-known tech mogul.
Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was aboard the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her emotional downturn after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space. Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also included well-known figures. The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”. “I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, recalling a phone call from a fellow crew member in the period after the journey. She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she revealed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.” Overshadowed by Sexism The researcher, who has focused her career on female health science and performed experiments during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – from her lab work and extensive preparation to the personal milestone of her background – was overshadowed under the tide of gendered attacks. She is best known for her pioneering work championing the cause of sexual assault survivors. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was put on hold after being assaulted during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability. The Fog Begins to Lift Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the supporters whose support helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She concluded that even with the backlash, important benefits had resulted from the flight, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism. Flight Details The self-operating spacecraft 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 diverse crew also included experts in various fields. The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a well-known tech mogul.