🔗 Share this article Crew Member Reveals Mental Health Struggle After Deluge of Harassment Post-Spaceflight Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was onboard the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in Spring 2025. A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her battle with depression after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also included celebrity crewmates. The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and carbon footprint. Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred. “I told her my depression might last for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a public message, referring to a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the landing. She portrayed 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 wrote. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Buried Under Misogyny Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – from her scientific research and years of training to the symbolic importance of her heritage – was drowned out under the tide of misogyny. She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning fighting for justice for survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a protracted legal battle. A Path to Recovery In the time since fulfilling her dream, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the followers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she said. She concluded that despite the negativity, important benefits had emerged from the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism. The Historic Journey The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that passed the edge of space. The diverse crew also comprised experts in various fields. The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a Amazon founder.
Amanda Nguyen, a women's health researcher, was onboard the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in Spring 2025. A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her battle with depression after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a researcher and activist – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight earlier this year, which also included celebrity crewmates. The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and carbon footprint. Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the pioneer for her community, stated the intense backlash eclipsed her moment under an landslide of gendered hatred. “I told her my depression might last for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a public message, referring to a supportive conversation from a mission companion in the period after the landing. She portrayed 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 wrote. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Buried Under Misogyny Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on female health science and performed experiments during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – from her scientific research and years of training to the symbolic importance of her heritage – was drowned out under the tide of misogyny. She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning fighting for justice for survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was paused after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a protracted legal battle. A Path to Recovery In the time since fulfilling her dream, she reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she thanked the followers whose messages of encouragement were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she said. She concluded that despite the negativity, important benefits had emerged from the experience, such as elevated attention for her women's health research and platforms for her activism. The Historic Journey The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that passed the edge of space. The diverse crew also comprised experts in various fields. The company behind the flight is a commercial aerospace company established by a Amazon founder.