History-making astronaut returns to Earth devastated, crying

Emily Calandrelli became the 100th woman in space this week but was in tears after a “moaning” controversy erupted on social media.

Blue Origin was forced to yank down a clip of astronaut Emily Calandrelli’s candid reaction to being in space after the post was attacked by misogynistic internet trolls.

Calandrelli, 37 — a TV science program host and aerospace engineer who became the 100th woman in space Friday aboard one of the company’s ships — said she was brought to tears by critics of the short video, which showed her floating upside down in zero gravity as she stared out at Earth from a window.

“That’s our planet. Oh my God, this is space,” Calandrelli reflected, full of emotion, in the clip.

Almost immediately, thousands of hateful Netizens posted offensive comments targeting her, including even about her looks, according to the Daily Mail.

“It’s not an achievement being a woman,” a user wrote about the standout MIT grad.

Another man posted, “Would you consider yourself the hottest woman to ever go to space? Any other contenders?”

One person added, “why she moaning I cannot unhear it.”

The responses were so hurtful that Calandrelli, instead of basking in her historic feat aboard billionaire Jeff Bezos’ Origin spacecraft, said in on Instagram on Monday that she was in tears flying home after the mission.

“This all happened as I was flying home after experiencing the most perfect, wonderful dream-achieving experience of my life,” she wrote. “And instead of being on cloud nine, I’m crying in my seat staring out the window. Because of course this happened. Of course I should have expected this.”

“Space tourist” and famous aerospace engineer Emily Calandrelli received hateful comments when video of her reaction to seeing Earth from space was posted online. Picture: @TheSpaceGal/X

She said she texted other female astronauts, her “space sisters,” for advice, and they comforted her and told her she has “nothing to be embarrassed of”.

“I had to take a moment to feminism myself if I’m being quite honest,” she said.

“But I refuse to give much time to the small men on the internet. I feel experiences in my soul. It’s a trait I got from my father. We feel every emotion deeply and what a beautiful way that is to experience life. This joy is tattooed on my heart.

“I will not apologise or feel weird about my reaction. It’s wholly mine and I love it.”

Calandrelli added that when she left the aeroplane she took home after her mission, she was recognised by a female flight attendant who saw that she had been crying.

“‘Don’t let them dull your shine’,” the flight attendant told Calandrelli, according to the astronaut in the post.

“I felt an immediate sense of camaraderie with her, with all women,” Calandrelli said.

Calandrelli and five others blasted off Friday. Picture: @TheSpaceGal/X

Emily Calandrelli is an Emmy-nominated TV host. (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images,)

Calandrelli, who is better known online as “Space Gal,” is a New York Times best-selling author and Emmy-nominated TV host who has amassed a major following talking about space and science.

She had been publicly documenting her preparations for the space flight, with the excited astronaut compiling a flash drive filled with a list of dreams from her followers, which she said she would to take to space with her, raising thousands of dollars for children’s charities in the process.

She and five other “space tourists” blasted off from Blue Origin’s Texas spaceport Friday for the ninth manned test of the company’s New Shepherd spacecraft.

Calandrelli said no one can take away the “joy” she felt above the planet. Picture: @TheSpaceGal/X

The MIT grad was the 100th woman to go to space. Picture: @TheSpaceGal/X

The New Shepard capsule, RSS First Step, touched back down to Earth about 10 minutes after takeoff and two and a half minutes after the booster had landed, according to Space News.

The capsule reached a peak altitude of 66km above sea level, Blue Origin said.

“You’re seeing so many emotions intertwined,” Calandrelli wrote of her experience. “Excitement, awe, and pride — but to be honest a little fear and confusion too. You just launched on a rocket and you’re seeing something you’ve never seen before (all while weightless and upside down).

“It’s scary, exhilarating, confusing, and completely and utterly joyful. So incredibly joyful.”

Blue Origin did not respond to a Post request for comment Tuesday.

This article was originally published by the New York Post and reproduced with permission

Originally published as History-making astronaut returns to Earth devastated, crying