🔗 Share this article Space Traveler Shares Depression In the Wake of Deluge of Harassment Following Journey Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in Spring 2025. A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also included high-profile passengers. The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and carbon footprint. Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, referring to a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the period after the landing. She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she wrote. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Overshadowed by Sexism The researcher, who has dedicated her work to female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her scientific research and years of training to the symbolic importance of her background – was drowned out under the tide of misogyny. She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle. Finding Solid Ground In the time since achieving her goal, she has stated the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement helped save her. “You all saved me,” she affirmed. She noted that amid the criticism, important benefits had emerged from the flight, such as spotlight on her women's health research and chances to influence leaders. About the Mission The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that passed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space. The diverse crew also featured accomplished professionals from different industries. The venture behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a well-known tech mogul.
Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in Spring 2025. A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also included high-profile passengers. The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who challenged its value and carbon footprint. Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, referring to a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the period after the landing. She portrayed the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she wrote. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Overshadowed by Sexism The researcher, who has dedicated her work to female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her scientific research and years of training to the symbolic importance of her background – was drowned out under the tide of misogyny. She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after surviving a rape during her college days, leading to a protracted legal battle. Finding Solid Ground In the time since achieving her goal, she has stated the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement helped save her. “You all saved me,” she affirmed. She noted that amid the criticism, important benefits had emerged from the flight, such as spotlight on her women's health research and chances to influence leaders. About the Mission The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that passed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space. The diverse crew also featured accomplished professionals from different industries. The venture behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a well-known tech mogul.