Blue Origin Astronaut Says Backlash After All-Female Space Trip Left Her Depressed: "Avalanche Of Misogyny"

Vietnamese-American scientist and civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen revealed she suffered from severe depression following what she described as a "tsunami of harassment" after her historic Blue Origin spaceflight. According to BBC, 34-year-old Nguyen was part of the NS-31 mission in April 2025, which featured the first all-female crew since 1963. 

However, the 11-minute flight faced intense public criticism. People on social media and critics alike lambasted the mission for its carbon footprint and environmental impact. The flight was also criticised as "pageantry" for the ultra-wealthy, especially given the inclusion of high-profile figures like Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez. Some also questioned whether the participants qualified as "actual astronauts" or were simply space tourists.

Notably, the NS-31 crew consisted of six women, including Amanda Nguyen, pop star Katy Perry, broadcast journalist Gayle King, media executive and philanthropist Lauren Sanchez, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. 

Impact on Mental Health

Nguyen shared her experience on Instagram, highlighting the toll the "avalanche of misogyny" took on her. She revealed she was unable to leave her bed for a week following the flight and initially told fellow crew member Gayle King that her depression might last for years.

"I did not leave Texas for a week, unable to get out of bed. A month later, when a senior staff at Blue [Origin] called me, I had to hang up on him because I could not speak through my tears," she wrote. 

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A post shared by Amanda Nguyễn (@amandangocnguyen)

"When Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon, bombs rained down on Vietnam. This year, when my boat refugee family looked at the sky, instead of bombs they saw the first Vietnamese woman in space,” added Nguyen, whose parents both arrived on small boats in the US after the fall of Saigon.

Nguyen, who is a bioastronautics researcher and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, felt her scientific achievements were completely buried by the public backlash and an "avalanche of misogyny".

However, eight months after achieving her space travel dream, Nguyen shared that the "fog of grief has started to lift." She expressed gratitude to those who supported her, writing, "Vietnam saved me... You all saved me," acknowledging the role of her well-wishers. 

Despite the backlash, she mentioned that "overwhelming good has come out of the flight," including media attention for her women's health research and opportunities to meet world leaders in relation to her advocacy for rape survivors.