🔗 Share this article Crew Member Reveals Mental Health Struggle After Deluge of Backlash Following Journey The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was onboard the automated spacecraft in Spring 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding 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 – recognized as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also included celebrity crewmates. The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a online statement, referring to a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the journey. She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.” Buried Under Misogyny The researcher, who has dedicated her work to female health science and performed experiments during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – from her scientific research and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her roots – was overshadowed under the avalanche of gendered attacks. She is most acclaimed for her pioneering work protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence. Her own goal of reaching space was paused after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability. The Fog Begins to Lift Now, eight months after fulfilling her dream, she noted the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the supporters whose support were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She noted that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities. The Historic Journey The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space. The diverse crew also featured experts in multiple disciplines. The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company launched by a well-known tech mogul.
The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was onboard the automated spacecraft in Spring 2025. A pioneering space traveler has opened up regarding 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 – recognized as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also included celebrity crewmates. The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a online statement, referring to a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the days following the journey. She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.” Buried Under Misogyny The researcher, who has dedicated her work to female health science and performed experiments during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – from her scientific research and astronaut training to the personal milestone of her roots – was overshadowed under the avalanche of gendered attacks. She is most acclaimed for her pioneering work protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence. Her own goal of reaching space was paused after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability. The Fog Begins to Lift Now, eight months after fulfilling her dream, she noted the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the supporters whose support were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She noted that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had emerged from the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities. The Historic Journey The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space. The diverse crew also featured experts in multiple disciplines. The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company launched by a well-known tech mogul.