🔗 Share this article Crew Member Shares Depression Following ‘Tsunami of Harassment After Historic Trip The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was aboard the automated spacecraft in Spring 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her emotional downturn after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission. The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also included high-profile passengers. The much-publicized journey was widely scrutinized by some, who cited its expense and carbon footprint. Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”. “I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a public message, referring to a check-in call from a mission companion in the days following the flight. She portrayed the news reports and online discourse as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”. “For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she wrote. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Overshadowed by Sexism Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on women's health research and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and years of training to the personal milestone of her roots – was buried under the avalanche of gendered attacks. She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after surviving a rape during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability. Finding Solid Ground Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she thanked the supporters whose support were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she affirmed. She noted that even with the backlash, considerable good had resulted from the mission, including elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities. The Historic Journey The self-operating spacecraft departed Texas in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a short trip that exceeded the Kármán line of space. The group of women also comprised accomplished professionals from multiple disciplines. The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.
The scientist and activist, a women's health researcher, was aboard the automated spacecraft in Spring 2025. A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her emotional downturn after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the aftermath of a historic all-female space mission. The 34-year-old activist – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the 11-minute suborbital flight in the spring, which also included high-profile passengers. The much-publicized journey was widely scrutinized by some, who cited its expense and carbon footprint. Reflecting on the ordeal, Ms. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction overshadowed her achievement under an “avalanche of misogyny”. “I told her my depression might last for years,” she recounted in a public message, referring to a check-in call from a mission companion in the days following the flight. She portrayed the news reports and online discourse as an “onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure”. “For a full week, I was bedridden and couldn't leave my Texas location,” she wrote. “Weeks after, I was forced to terminate a call, my voice choked by tears.” Overshadowed by Sexism Ms. Nguyen, who has focused her career on women's health research and conducted tests during the mission, said everything she had worked for – including her lab work and years of training to the personal milestone of her roots – was buried under the avalanche of gendered attacks. She is most acclaimed for her groundbreaking advocacy protecting the rights of survivors of assault. Her own aspiration for spaceflight was deferred after surviving a rape during her university years, leading to a long campaign for accountability. Finding Solid Ground Now, eight months after achieving her goal, she reports that the deepest pain is gradually receding, and she thanked the supporters whose support were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she affirmed. She noted that even with the backlash, considerable good had resulted from the mission, including elevated attention for her women's health research and new advocacy opportunities. The Historic Journey The self-operating spacecraft departed Texas in the spring, carrying the six-woman crew on a short trip that exceeded the Kármán line of space. The group of women also comprised accomplished professionals from multiple disciplines. The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company established by a prominent billionaire entrepreneur.