🔗 Share this article Space Traveler Shares Mental Health Struggle Following Wave of Harassment After Historic Trip The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the automated spacecraft in Spring 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her battle with depression after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in April, which also featured well-known figures. The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”. “I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a social media post, describing a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the flight. She portrayed the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.” Eclipsed by Backlash Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – including her lab work and years of training to the historic significance of her roots – was overshadowed under the avalanche of sexist vitriol. She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was put on hold after being assaulted during her time as a student, leading to a protracted legal battle. A Path to Recovery Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she has stated the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the supporters whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “You all saved me,” she affirmed. She added that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had come out of the mission, such as increased focus on her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities. About the Mission The fully automated spacecraft lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that passed the internationally recognized boundary of space. The team of pioneers also included leaders in multiple disciplines. The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a well-known tech mogul.
The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the automated spacecraft in Spring 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her battle with depression after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in April, which also featured well-known figures. The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”. “I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a social media post, describing a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the flight. She portrayed the news reports and online discourse as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.” Eclipsed by Backlash Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on female health science and conducted tests during the mission, said all her lifelong efforts – including her lab work and years of training to the historic significance of her roots – was overshadowed under the avalanche of sexist vitriol. She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning protecting the rights of victims of sexual violence. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was put on hold after being assaulted during her time as a student, leading to a protracted legal battle. A Path to Recovery Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she has stated the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the supporters whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “You all saved me,” she affirmed. She added that even with the backlash, significant positive outcomes had come out of the mission, such as increased focus on her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities. About the Mission The fully automated spacecraft lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that passed the internationally recognized boundary of space. The team of pioneers also included leaders in multiple disciplines. The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a well-known tech mogul.