🔗 Share this article Astronaut Shares Depression Following Wave of Online Abuse Post-Spaceflight Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the automated spacecraft in April 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after facing a relentless barrage of criticism in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space. Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also carried celebrity crewmates. The high-profile flight was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”. “I told her my depression might last for years,” the astronaut shared in a public message, recalling a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the journey. She characterized the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.” Eclipsed by Backlash The researcher, who has focused her career on female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her studies and years of training to the personal milestone of her heritage – was buried under the deluge of misogyny. She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of sexual assault survivors. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was paused after an attack during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability. A Path to Recovery Now, eight months after fulfilling her dream, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the supporters whose kindness helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She added that despite the negativity, considerable good had resulted from the flight, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and chances to influence leaders. About the Mission The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from Texas in April, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the edge of outer space. The diverse crew also included accomplished professionals from multiple disciplines. The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the automated spacecraft in April 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after facing a relentless barrage of criticism in the aftermath of a landmark journey to the edge of space. Amanda Nguyen – known as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space in the spring, which also carried celebrity crewmates. The high-profile flight was widely scrutinized by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”. “I told her my depression might last for years,” the astronaut shared in a public message, recalling a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the journey. She characterized the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she wrote. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.” Eclipsed by Backlash The researcher, who has focused her career on female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her studies and years of training to the personal milestone of her heritage – was buried under the deluge of misogyny. She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of sexual assault survivors. Her own dream of becoming an astronaut was paused after an attack during her college days, leading to a long campaign for accountability. A Path to Recovery Now, eight months after fulfilling her dream, she has stated the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the supporters whose kindness helped save her. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She added that despite the negativity, considerable good had resulted from the flight, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and chances to influence leaders. About the Mission The computer-piloted spacecraft lifted off from Texas in April, carrying the all-female team on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the edge of outer space. The diverse crew also included accomplished professionals from multiple disciplines. The enterprise behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company founded by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.