🔗 Share this article Space Traveler Discloses Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of Wave of Harassment After Historic Trip The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the automated spacecraft in April 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission. Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also carried high-profile passengers. The mission was heavily criticized by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact. Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” the astronaut shared in a public message, describing a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the period after the landing. She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she revealed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Eclipsed by Backlash The researcher, who has focused her career on gynecological science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and extensive preparation to the historic significance of her background – was buried under the deluge of gendered attacks. She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning fighting for justice for survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after an attack during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice. The Fog Begins to Lift In the time since reaching space, she noted the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose kindness helped save her. “You all saved me,” she wrote. She noted that amid the criticism, important benefits had resulted from the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities. The Historic Journey The computer-piloted spacecraft departed Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the edge of space. The group of women also included leaders in multiple disciplines. The company behind the mission is a private space firm founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the automated spacecraft in April 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her struggle with mental health after facing a massive wave of online abuse in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission. Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also carried high-profile passengers. The mission was heavily criticized by some, who questioned its cost and ecological impact. Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Nguyen, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” the astronaut shared in a public message, describing a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the period after the landing. She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an unprecedented psychological assault. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she revealed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Eclipsed by Backlash The researcher, who has focused her career on gynecological science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her lab work and extensive preparation to the historic significance of her background – was buried under the deluge of gendered attacks. She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning fighting for justice for survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after an attack during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice. The Fog Begins to Lift In the time since reaching space, she noted the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the well-wishers whose kindness helped save her. “You all saved me,” she wrote. She noted that amid the criticism, important benefits had resulted from the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities. The Historic Journey The computer-piloted spacecraft departed Texas in the spring, carrying the historic roster on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the edge of space. The group of women also included leaders in multiple disciplines. The company behind the mission is a private space firm founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.