🔗 Share this article Crew Member Discloses Mental Health Struggle Following ‘Tsunami of Online Abuse After Historic Trip Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was aboard 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 aftermath of a historic all-female space mission. Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in April, which also carried celebrity crewmates. The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response eclipsed her moment under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a social media post, referring to a check-in call from a fellow crew member in the period after the landing. She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault. “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 Ms. Nguyen, who has dedicated her work to female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said every professional achievement – from her lab work and extensive preparation to the historic significance of her roots – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks. She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability. A Path to Recovery Months following reaching space, she noted the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose support pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She noted that even with the backlash, important benefits had resulted from the flight, including spotlight on her scientific work and new advocacy opportunities. About the Mission The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the Kármán line of outer space. The group of women also featured leaders in various fields. The company behind the mission is a private space firm founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was aboard 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 aftermath of a historic all-female space mission. Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the short-duration mission in April, which also carried celebrity crewmates. The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response eclipsed her moment under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a social media post, referring to a check-in call from a fellow crew member in the period after the landing. She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault. “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 Ms. Nguyen, who has dedicated her work to female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said every professional achievement – from her lab work and extensive preparation to the historic significance of her roots – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks. She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability. A Path to Recovery Months following reaching space, she noted the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose support pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She noted that even with the backlash, important benefits had resulted from the flight, including spotlight on her scientific work and new advocacy opportunities. About the Mission The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the Kármán line of outer space. The group of women also featured leaders in various fields. The company behind the mission is a private space firm founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.