🔗 Share this article Crew Member Shares Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of ‘Tsunami of Online Abuse Following Journey The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. The 34-year-old activist – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also featured celebrity crewmates. The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who cited its expense and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I told her my depression might last for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, referring to a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the flight. She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Buried Under Misogyny The researcher, who has conducted studies in women's health research and operated research during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – from her scientific research and astronaut training to the historic significance of her background – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks. She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of survivors of assault. Her own goal of reaching space was deferred after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a protracted legal battle. A Path to Recovery Months following achieving her goal, she noted the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the followers whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she affirmed. She added that despite the negativity, considerable good had emerged from the mission, such as increased focus on her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities. The Historic Journey The fully automated New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in April, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the edge of space. The group of women also comprised leaders in multiple disciplines. The venture behind the mission is a private space firm established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was a passenger on the New Shepard NS-31 rocket in April 2025. A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after enduring a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. The 34-year-old activist – known as a researcher and activist – was part of the brief journey to space in April, which also featured celebrity crewmates. The much-publicized journey was heavily criticized by some, who cited its expense and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the experience, the astronaut, who was celebrated as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the intense backlash buried her dreams under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I told her my depression might last for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a online statement, referring to a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the flight. She described the subsequent media coverage and social media frenzy as an barrage beyond typical human coping. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Buried Under Misogyny The researcher, who has conducted studies in women's health research and operated research during the flight, said all her lifelong efforts – from her scientific research and astronaut training to the historic significance of her background – was buried under the tide of gendered attacks. She is most acclaimed for her tireless campaigning championing the cause of survivors of assault. Her own goal of reaching space was deferred after surviving a rape during her time as a student, leading to a protracted legal battle. A Path to Recovery Months following achieving her goal, she noted the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the followers whose messages of encouragement pulled her through. “Your support rescued me,” she affirmed. She added that despite the negativity, considerable good had emerged from the mission, such as increased focus on her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities. The Historic Journey The fully automated New Shepard rocket launched from Texas in April, carrying the historic roster on a brief suborbital flight that crossed the edge of space. The group of women also comprised leaders in multiple disciplines. The venture behind the mission is a private space firm established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.