First Vietnamese-American woman to fly into space with all-female crew Monday

Vietnamese American Amanda Ngoc Nguyen, a scientist and activist, joined an all-female crew on Blue Origin's NS-31 mission on Monday, marking a historic milestone as the first woman of Vietnamese origin to fly into space.


The all-female crew of Blue Origins NS-31 launch in their Monse designed flight suits. They are (clockwise from bottom left): Lauren Sánchez, Amanda Nguyen, Katy Perry, Gayle King, Aisha Bowe and Kerianne Flynn. Photo coutersy of Blue Origin

The all-female crew of Blue Origin's NS-31 launch in their Monse designed flight suits. They are (clockwise from bottom left): Lauren Sánchez, Amanda Nguyen, Katy Perry, Gayle King, Aisha Bowe and Kerianne Flynn. Photo coutersy of Blue Origin

Nguyen, 33, a bioastronautics research scientist and activist, is participating in the mission as part of the Space for Humanity’s Citizen Astronaut Program. The program is designed to empower citizen astronauts to "address global challenges with a broader outlook," according to the organization’s website. Nguyen serves as an Overview Ambassador, using her experience to foster a deeper connection to Earth and promote the vision of making space accessible to all.

"Her journey to space is not just a personal milestone but a powerful symbol of resilience, hope, and the boundless possibilities that lie ahead when passion and purpose align," Space for Humanity wrote.

The NS-31 mission is the 31st flight for Blue Origin’s New Shepard, a reusable rocket-capsule system. This mission also marks the first all-female spaceflight since June 16, 1963, when Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to fly into space on a solo mission to Earth’s orbit, according to Space.com.

The crew is set to launch from the West Texas Launch Site One at 13:30 GMT. The event will be streamed live on Space.com and Blue Origin's YouTube channel, with coverage beginning 90 minutes before liftoff. The crew will reach the Kármán Line, the internationally recognized boundary of space, 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth, experiencing weightlessness and viewing the planet from space.



According to MIT’s media site, Nguyen will bring a research project into orbit as part of the mission. She will carry prototypes developed by researchers from MIT's Women’s Health Program (WHx), the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI), MIT Multifunctional Metamaterials Lab (MIT META), and the MIT Self-Assembly Lab. These projects include a wearable ultrasound patch that could enable continuous health monitoring in space. This research aims to improve ultrasound imaging capabilities on the International Space Station (ISS) and monitor astronaut health, particularly musculoskeletal deconditioning and spine elongation.

As the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman astronaut, Nguyen's flight symbolizes reconciliation between the United States and Vietnam, emphasizing science as a tool for peace.

In addition to her astronaut work, Nguyen has an impressive academic background, including research at Harvard's Center for Astrophysics, MIT, NASA, and the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences. She also contributed to the final NASA shuttle mission, STS-135, in 2011, and the Kepler exoplanet mission in 2009. In 2019, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her advocacy work with sexual violence survivors and was named TIME's Woman of the Year in 2022.

Blue Origin highlighted the mission’s significance, stating that it "symbolizes Amanda Nguyen’s efforts to advocate for civil rights, break barriers, and empower everyday people to create change."

Nguyen is accompanied by Lauren Sánchez, fiancée of Jeff Bezos, pop star Katy Perry, and other notable women, including "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.

The remaining members of the crew also embody powerful messages, with Blue Origin noting that the mission "symbolizes Aisha Bowe’s ambition for setting big goals, passion for STEM, and commitment to inspiring future generations; represents Gayle King’s commitment to sharing important stories with the world; symbolizes Katy Perry’s global influence across music, pop culture, and philanthropy; and symbolizes Kerianne Flynn’s passion for filmmaking, storytelling, and crafting beautiful narratives."

Also, Flynn the Fly, the main character from Lauren Sánchez’s bestselling children’s book "The Fly Who Flew to Space," is part of the mission. The story encourages kids with learning differences to pursue their dreams, overcoming adversity along the way.

VietBF@ Sưu tập