🔗 Share this article Space Traveler Reveals Emotional Distress Following Deluge of Online Abuse Following Journey Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in Spring 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space. The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also featured high-profile passengers. The mission was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, recalling a phone call from a fellow crew member in the days following the journey. She characterized the press attention and digital reaction as an unprecedented psychological assault. “I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Buried Under Misogyny Ms. Nguyen, who has dedicated her work to female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – including her lab work and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks. She is best known for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a years-long quest for justice. A Path to Recovery Months following achieving her goal, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the followers whose kindness were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She concluded that amid the criticism, considerable good had resulted from the mission, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism. Flight Details The fully automated New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the Kármán line of outer space. The group of women also featured experts in multiple disciplines. The company behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a Amazon founder.
Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in Spring 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her struggle with mental health after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space. The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also featured high-profile passengers. The mission was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the situation, the astronaut, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, recalling a phone call from a fellow crew member in the days following the journey. She characterized the press attention and digital reaction as an unprecedented psychological assault. “I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Buried Under Misogyny Ms. Nguyen, who has dedicated her work to female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – including her lab work and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks. She is best known for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a years-long quest for justice. A Path to Recovery Months following achieving her goal, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the followers whose kindness were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She concluded that amid the criticism, considerable good had resulted from the mission, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism. Flight Details The fully automated New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the Kármán line of outer space. The group of women also featured experts in multiple disciplines. The company behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a Amazon founder.