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- By David Brown
- 09 Sep 2026
A Vietnamese-American astronaut has publicly detailed her emotional downturn after facing a “tsunami of harassment” in the wake of a pioneering women-only spaceflight.
Amanda Nguyen – recognized as a scientist and civil rights advocate – was part of the brief journey to space earlier this year, which also carried celebrity crewmates.
The high-profile flight was met with derision by some, who challenged its value and environmental footprint.
Reflecting on the situation, Ms. Nguyen, who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space, stated the negative reaction buried her dreams under an landslide of gendered hatred.
“I explained the depression could persist for a long time,” she recounted in a online statement, recalling a phone call from a mission companion in the period after the flight.
She described the press attention and digital reaction as an unprecedented psychological assault.
“I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed,” she confessed. “A month later… I had to hang up… because I could not speak through my tears.”
The researcher, who has focused her career on gynecological science and conducted tests during the flight, said every professional achievement – including her lab work and years of training to the historic significance of her heritage – was overshadowed under the tide of misogyny.
She is widely recognized for her tireless campaigning fighting for justice for survivors of assault.
Her own goal of reaching space was deferred after an attack during her university years, leading to a years-long quest for justice.
Months following fulfilling her dream, she noted the “fog of grief has started to lift”, and she acknowledged the followers whose support were her lifeline. “You all saved me,” she affirmed.
She noted that despite the negativity, considerable good had come out of the flight, such as spotlight on her women's health research and chances to influence leaders.
The self-operating spacecraft lifted off from its launch site in April, carrying the six-woman crew on a 11-minute journey that crossed the internationally recognized boundary of outer space.
The team of pioneers also included experts in multiple disciplines.
The venture behind the mission is a commercial aerospace company launched by a Amazon founder.
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