🔗 Share this article Crew Member Reveals Depression Following ‘Tsunami of Backlash Following Journey Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist, was aboard the automated spacecraft in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the wake of a historic all-female space mission. Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also carried well-known figures. The much-publicized journey was widely scrutinized by some, who cited its expense and ecological impact. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred. “I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a public message, recalling a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the landing. She described the news reports and online discourse 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 The researcher, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and conducted tests during the flight, said every professional achievement – including her studies and astronaut training to the historic significance of her background – was drowned out under the tide of sexist vitriol. She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of sexual assault survivors. Her own goal of reaching space was put on hold after surviving a rape during her university years, 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 kindness helped save her. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote. She concluded that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had come out of the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism. About the Mission The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that passed the edge of space. The group of women also included leaders in different industries. The company behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company launched by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist, was aboard the automated spacecraft in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her struggle with mental health after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the wake of a historic all-female space mission. Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also carried well-known figures. The much-publicized journey was widely scrutinized by some, who cited its expense and ecological impact. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred. “I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a public message, recalling a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the landing. She described the news reports and online discourse 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 The researcher, who has conducted studies in gynecological science and conducted tests during the flight, said every professional achievement – including her studies and astronaut training to the historic significance of her background – was drowned out under the tide of sexist vitriol. She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of sexual assault survivors. Her own goal of reaching space was put on hold after surviving a rape during her university years, 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 kindness helped save her. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote. She concluded that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had come out of the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism. About the Mission The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that passed the edge of space. The group of women also included leaders in different industries. The company behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company launched by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.