🔗 Share this article Astronaut Reveals Emotional Distress After Wave of Online Abuse After Historic Trip The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her battle with depression after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the wake of a landmark journey to the edge of space. Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission earlier this year, which also included high-profile passengers. The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who cited its expense and ecological impact. Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, describing a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the journey. She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Eclipsed by Backlash The researcher, who has conducted studies in women's health research and conducted tests during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and years of training to the historic significance of her background – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks. She is most acclaimed for her pioneering work championing the cause of survivors of assault. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was put on hold after being assaulted during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice. Finding Solid Ground Months following achieving her goal, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the supporters whose kindness pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She added that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the mission, including spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism. About the Mission The self-operating New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in April, carrying the historic roster on a 11-minute journey that passed the edge of space. The diverse crew also comprised leaders in different industries. The enterprise behind the mission is a private space firm established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has publicly detailed her battle with depression after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the wake of a landmark journey to the edge of space. Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the short-duration mission earlier this year, which also included high-profile passengers. The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who cited its expense and ecological impact. Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, describing a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the journey. She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Eclipsed by Backlash The researcher, who has conducted studies in women's health research and conducted tests during the flight, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and years of training to the historic significance of her background – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks. She is most acclaimed for her pioneering work championing the cause of survivors of assault. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was put on hold after being assaulted during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice. Finding Solid Ground Months following achieving her goal, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the supporters whose kindness pulled her through. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She added that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the mission, including spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism. About the Mission The self-operating New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in April, carrying the historic roster on a 11-minute journey that passed the edge of space. The diverse crew also comprised leaders in different industries. The enterprise behind the mission is a private space firm established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.