Featured Image Credit: Blue Origin
Topics: Science, Social Media, Space, Blue Origin
Ellie Kemp
An astronaut who become the 100th woman in space issued a defiant message after trolls bombarded her with cruel comments online.
Emily Calandrelli made history when she was sent to space by Jeff Bezos' company Blue Origin.
She and five other 'space tourists' set out on the ninth human test flight for the aerospace manufacturer's New Shepherd spacecraft on Friday November 22.
Blue Origin posted footage from the day to social media, including a clip of Calandrelli that was quickly sexualized by trolls.
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The clip showed her gazing out the aircraft's window, suspended upside down in weightlessness, as she gasped: "Oh my God, this is space."
But Blue Origin had to delete the post after trolls took the opportunity to sexualize Calandrelli instead, bombarding her with disgusting comments and making jokes about women in space.
Others set out to diminish her achievement. She and the five other space tourists paid for spots on the Blue Origin flight, the cost of which has not been disclosed.
But Calandrelli has earned hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram as 'The Space Gal,' sharing her life experience as an MIT engineer, science communicator and Emmy-nominated TV presenter.
Calandrelli admitted that the vile comments began to get to her and said she spent her flight home texting her ‘space sisters’ and crying in her seat.
She addressed the trolls on social media, writing: "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."
In another post, she pointed out the hypocritical nature of the abuse she'd experienced, writing: "I love that we can’t decide if my spaceflight was hard earned and therefore I should be tough enough to endure sexualization of just a silly ride and so I should be protected from it.”
In good news, on another Instagram post celebrating the trip into space, the engineer received a barrage of support.
One person said: “So incredible. I love the perspective of a mom up there looking with such pride and love at our planet. Beautiful.
Another said: “Her talking about this moment had me in tears. Now seeing it with this photo, I'm sobbing.”
A third wrote: “Emily, I am so sorry to see your post regarding your video of your reaction having to be taken down because of the stupid men commenting.
"I shared it earlier today saying I would have had the exact reaction! I guarantee you inspired more people, especially women out there, then you can imagine.”
Another simply said: “What an inspiration.”
UNILAD has approached Blue Origin for comment.