🔗 Share this article Astronaut Shares Emotional Distress Following Wave of Backlash After Historic Trip Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the automated spacecraft in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her emotional downturn after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also included high-profile passengers. The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who made history as the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, recalling a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the landing. She described the news reports and online discourse as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she revealed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Buried Under Misogyny Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on female health science and operated research during the flight, said every professional achievement – from her lab work and extensive preparation to the symbolic importance of her background – was buried under the deluge of sexist vitriol. She is best known for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of sexual assault survivors. Her own goal of reaching space was paused after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a years-long quest for justice. Finding Solid Ground Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose support pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote. She noted that even with the backlash, considerable good had come out of the experience, including elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism. The Historic Journey The self-operating New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in April, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of space. The team of pioneers also featured accomplished professionals from different industries. The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a well-known tech mogul.
Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the automated spacecraft in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding her emotional downturn after enduring a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. The 34-year-old activist – celebrated as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also included high-profile passengers. The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who made history as the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an landslide of gendered hatred. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” the astronaut shared in a online statement, recalling a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the landing. She described the news reports and online discourse as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she revealed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Buried Under Misogyny Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on female health science and operated research during the flight, said every professional achievement – from her lab work and extensive preparation to the symbolic importance of her background – was buried under the deluge of sexist vitriol. She is best known for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of sexual assault survivors. Her own goal of reaching space was paused after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a years-long quest for justice. Finding Solid Ground Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose support pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote. She noted that even with the backlash, considerable good had come out of the experience, including elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism. The Historic Journey The self-operating New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in April, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that exceeded the internationally recognized boundary of space. The team of pioneers also featured accomplished professionals from different industries. The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a well-known tech mogul.