đ Share this article Crew Member Discloses Mental Health Struggle Following Deluge of Backlash After Historic Trip Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after facing a âtsunami of harassmentâ in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. The 34-year-old activist â celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate â was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in April, which also carried well-known figures. The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who cited its expense and carbon footprint. Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an âavalanche of misogynyâ. âI explained the depression could persist for a long time,â Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, referring to a check-in call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the journey. She characterized the press attention and digital reaction as an barrage beyond typical human coping. âStuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,â she wrote. âA month later⊠I had to hang up⊠because I could not speak through my tears.â Eclipsed by Backlash The researcher, who has dedicated her work to female health science and performed experiments during the mission, said every professional achievement â including her lab work and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots â was drowned out under the avalanche of misogyny. She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of sexual assault survivors. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle. The Fog Begins to Lift In the time since reaching space, she noted the âfog of grief has started to liftâ, and she thanked the followers whose kindness helped save her. âYou were my salvation,â she wrote. She noted that even with the backlash, important benefits had emerged from the flight, including elevated attention for her women's health research and chances to influence leaders. Flight Details The fully automated New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the historic roster on a short trip that passed the internationally recognized boundary of space. The group of women also featured accomplished professionals from various fields. The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company established by a well-known tech mogul.
Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after facing a âtsunami of harassmentâ in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. The 34-year-old activist â celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate â was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in April, which also carried well-known figures. The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who cited its expense and carbon footprint. Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an âavalanche of misogynyâ. âI explained the depression could persist for a long time,â Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, referring to a check-in call from a mission companion in the aftermath of the journey. She characterized the press attention and digital reaction as an barrage beyond typical human coping. âStuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,â she wrote. âA month later⊠I had to hang up⊠because I could not speak through my tears.â Eclipsed by Backlash The researcher, who has dedicated her work to female health science and performed experiments during the mission, said every professional achievement â including her lab work and astronaut training to the symbolic importance of her roots â was drowned out under the avalanche of misogyny. She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of sexual assault survivors. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was deferred after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle. The Fog Begins to Lift In the time since reaching space, she noted the âfog of grief has started to liftâ, and she thanked the followers whose kindness helped save her. âYou were my salvation,â she wrote. She noted that even with the backlash, important benefits had emerged from the flight, including elevated attention for her women's health research and chances to influence leaders. Flight Details The fully automated New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the historic roster on a short trip that passed the internationally recognized boundary of space. The group of women also featured accomplished professionals from various fields. The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company established by a well-known tech mogul.