🔗 Share this article Space Traveler Discloses Emotional Distress In the Wake of ‘Tsunami of Harassment Post-Spaceflight Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was onboard the automated spacecraft in Spring 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has opened up regarding her battle with depression after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission. Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also featured high-profile passengers. The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, referring to a check-in call from a fellow crew member in the period after the landing. She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an unprecedented psychological assault. “For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she wrote. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Overshadowed by Sexism Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on women's health research and operated research during the flight, said every professional achievement – including her studies and extensive preparation to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the avalanche of misogyny. She is best known for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of sexual assault survivors. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability. A Path to Recovery Now, eight months after fulfilling her dream, she has stated the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote. She added that despite the negativity, important benefits had emerged from the mission, including elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism. The Historic Journey The self-operating spacecraft lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that passed the Kármán line of space. The group of women also included experts in different industries. The venture behind the mission is a private space firm founded by a well-known tech mogul.
Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was onboard the automated spacecraft in Spring 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has opened up regarding her battle with depression after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission. Amanda Nguyen – celebrated as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also featured high-profile passengers. The mission was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, referring to a check-in call from a fellow crew member in the period after the landing. She characterized the news reports and online discourse as an unprecedented psychological assault. “For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she wrote. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Overshadowed by Sexism Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on women's health research and operated research during the flight, said every professional achievement – including her studies and extensive preparation to the historic significance of her heritage – was buried under the avalanche of misogyny. She is best known for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of sexual assault survivors. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability. A Path to Recovery Now, eight months after fulfilling her dream, she has stated the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she expressed gratitude the well-wishers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “Your support rescued me,” she wrote. She added that despite the negativity, important benefits had emerged from the mission, including elevated attention for her scientific work and platforms for her activism. The Historic Journey The self-operating spacecraft lifted off from Texas in the spring, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that passed the Kármán line of space. The group of women also included experts in different industries. The venture behind the mission is a private space firm founded by a well-known tech mogul.