Her story you’ll hear from recently Amanda Nguyen, a 34-year-old times scientist and civil rights activist. She shared her story of struggles she experienced upon returning from her historic trip to space. With this flight, Nguyen became the first Vietnamese woman to fly in space. On April 2025, she flew into space for an 11 minute flight with Blue Origin. Beyond the mission’s climate implications, the voyage represented a historic milestone, serving as the first all-female trip to space since 1963.
During her time on the spacecraft, Nguyen conducted numerous experiments focused on women’s health, showcasing her expertise in the scientific community. Much to the delight of its cheerleaders, the historic flight became a lightning rod for a tsunami of regressive misuse. She went on to call it a “tsunami of harassment.”
In the months following the flight, Nguyen suffered from severe emotional trauma as a result. She recounted her struggles, stating, “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.” The isolation and grief took a toll on her mental health as well. Consequently, she had to shelve her astronaut aspirations.
In addition to using his platform to advocate for sexual assault survivors, Nguyen is a committed advocate himself. Following her own traumatic experience during university, she led a years-long campaign for justice, ultimately gaining recognition for her efforts to protect civil rights in this area. In her own life, Nguyen has dealt with some misogynistic backlash, following her historic space flight. Despite this, she has shown admirable fortitude.
Looking back on her journey, she said it was a huge relief. Eight months after the fateful flight, she’s finding that the “fog of grief has begun to clear. Nguyen went on to thank her supporters for standing by her side during this rough period of time.
“This onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure.” – Amanda Nguyen
The history-making crew that flew on the Blue Origin flight with Nguyen packed some impressive personalities. Among them were Aisha Bowe, Kerianne Flynn, singer Katy Perry and Lauren Sánchez, the wife of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos. Together, they created a historic milestone in space exploration that went beyond singular accomplishments.
As Nguyen continues her advocacy work and navigates the complexities of public life post-flight, she remains a powerful voice for change. Her journey is a reminder of how far we have come in terms of gender representation in space. It highlights the inequities that persist in communities across the country.