🔗 Share this article Astronaut Shares Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of Wave of Harassment After Historic Trip Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was aboard the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in Spring 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has opened up regarding her battle with depression after being subjected to a relentless barrage of criticism 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 in the spring, which also included celebrity crewmates. The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact. Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” she recounted in a public message, referring to a phone call from a mission companion in the days following the journey. She described the press attention and digital reaction as an unprecedented psychological assault. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Overshadowed by Sexism The researcher, who has focused her career on female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – including her studies and extensive preparation to the personal milestone of her roots – was drowned out under the tide of gendered attacks. She is most acclaimed for her pioneering work protecting the rights of survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after an attack during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice. Finding Solid Ground In the time since fulfilling her dream, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she thanked the supporters whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She added that amid the criticism, important benefits had emerged from the flight, such as spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism. The Historic Journey The fully automated spacecraft launched from its launch site in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a short trip that crossed the edge of outer space. The group of women also comprised experts in various fields. The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a Amazon founder.
Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was aboard the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in Spring 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has opened up regarding her battle with depression after being subjected to a relentless barrage of criticism 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 in the spring, which also included celebrity crewmates. The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and ecological impact. Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” she recounted in a public message, referring to a phone call from a mission companion in the days following the journey. She described the press attention and digital reaction as an unprecedented psychological assault. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Overshadowed by Sexism The researcher, who has focused her career on female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – including her studies and extensive preparation to the personal milestone of her roots – was drowned out under the tide of gendered attacks. She is most acclaimed for her pioneering work protecting the rights of survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after an attack during her college days, leading to a years-long quest for justice. Finding Solid Ground In the time since fulfilling her dream, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she thanked the supporters whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She added that amid the criticism, important benefits had emerged from the flight, such as spotlight on her women's health research and platforms for her activism. The Historic Journey The fully automated spacecraft launched from its launch site in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a short trip that crossed the edge of outer space. The group of women also comprised experts in various fields. The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a Amazon founder.