🔗 Share this article Space Traveler Shares Mental Health Struggle In the Wake of Wave of Harassment Following Journey The scientist and activist, a bioastronautics research scientist, was a passenger on the automated spacecraft in Spring 2025. A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also included high-profile passengers. The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, describing a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the days following the flight. She characterized the press attention and digital reaction as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Eclipsed by Backlash Ms. Nguyen, who has dedicated her work to female health science and operated research during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her studies and astronaut training to the historic significance of her heritage – was overshadowed under the deluge of sexist vitriol. She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a years-long quest for justice. The Fog Begins to Lift Now, eight months after reaching space, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the supporters whose support were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She concluded that amid the criticism, important benefits had emerged from the flight, including elevated attention for her scientific work and chances to influence leaders. About the Mission The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the edge of outer space. The team of pioneers also included accomplished professionals from various fields. The enterprise behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company established by a Amazon founder.
The scientist and activist, a bioastronautics research scientist, was a passenger on the automated spacecraft in Spring 2025. A pioneering space traveler has spoken candidly about her emotional downturn after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a pioneering women-only spaceflight. The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also included high-profile passengers. The much-publicized journey was met with derision by some, who questioned its cost and environmental footprint. Reflecting on the ordeal, the astronaut, who became the pioneer for her community, stated the vicious response overshadowed her achievement under an torrent of sexist abuse. “I said the emotional pain might endure for years,” Ms. Nguyen stated in a social media post, describing a supportive conversation from a fellow crew member in the days following the flight. She characterized the press attention and digital reaction as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”. “Stuck in Texas, I spent a week unable to rise from my bed,” she confessed. “Even a month on, a phone call ended with me hanging up, weeping uncontrollably.” Eclipsed by Backlash Ms. Nguyen, who has dedicated her work to female health science and operated research during the flight, said everything she had worked for – from her studies and astronaut training to the historic significance of her heritage – was overshadowed under the deluge of sexist vitriol. She is best known for her groundbreaking advocacy fighting for justice for survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after being assaulted during her university years, leading to a years-long quest for justice. The Fog Begins to Lift Now, eight months after reaching space, she reports that the heaviest sorrow is beginning to clear, and she thanked the supporters whose support were her lifeline. “You were my salvation,” she wrote. She concluded that amid the criticism, important benefits had emerged from the flight, including elevated attention for her scientific work and chances to influence leaders. About the Mission The computer-piloted New Shepard rocket lifted off from Texas in April, carrying the all-female team on a 11-minute journey that exceeded the edge of outer space. The team of pioneers also included accomplished professionals from various fields. The enterprise behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company established by a Amazon founder.