🔗 Share this article Crew Member Discloses Emotional Distress In the Wake of Wave of Online Abuse After Historic Trip Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist, was a passenger on the automated spacecraft in Spring 2025. A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after being subjected to a relentless barrage of criticism in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also featured celebrity crewmates. The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response buried her dreams under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I told her my depression might last for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, recalling a phone call from a mission companion in the days following the flight. She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Overshadowed by Sexism Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her background – was buried under the tide of sexist vitriol. She is best known for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of survivors of assault. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after being assaulted during her time as a student, leading to a long campaign for accountability. The Fog Begins to Lift Months following achieving her goal, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose support were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she wrote. She concluded that amid the criticism, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the mission, including elevated attention for her women's health research and chances to influence leaders. Flight Details The computer-piloted spacecraft departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a short trip that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of outer space. The team of pioneers also comprised experts in multiple disciplines. The company behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a Amazon founder.
Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist, was a passenger on the automated spacecraft in Spring 2025. A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after being subjected to a relentless barrage of criticism in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also featured celebrity crewmates. The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response buried her dreams under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I told her my depression might last for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, recalling a phone call from a mission companion in the days following the flight. She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Overshadowed by Sexism Ms. Nguyen, who has conducted studies in female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her background – was buried under the tide of sexist vitriol. She is best known for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of survivors of assault. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after being assaulted during her time as a student, leading to a long campaign for accountability. The Fog Begins to Lift Months following achieving her goal, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose support were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she wrote. She concluded that amid the criticism, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the mission, including elevated attention for her women's health research and chances to influence leaders. Flight Details The computer-piloted spacecraft departed its launch site in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a short trip that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of outer space. The team of pioneers also comprised experts in multiple disciplines. The company behind the flight is a private space firm founded by a Amazon founder.