A renowned MIT engineer, host, author, and the 100th woman in space, Emily Calandrelli, who traveled to space aboard Blue Origin’s NS-28 mission, was seen on a video by the space venture saying, “Oh my God, this is space,” when she looked through the window and saw Earth from orbit. Just less than 24 hours after this historic accomplishment, online trolls began to target her.
The backlash against the video, which was originally shared by Blue Origin, prompted the company to change it to an edited version. Emily Calandrelli is undeterred as she thanks the majority of users who supported her. Hundreds of social media users, mainly women and young girls, praised her as an inspiration.
“I will not give much time to small men on the internet,” Emily Calandrelli wrote in a social media post. “I will not apologize nor feel weird about my reaction. It’s all mine, and I love it. “
This was the ninth human spaceflight by Blue Origin, when Emily Calandrelli and five other passengers crossed the Kármán line, hailed as the edge of space. The short yet revolutionary journey allows passengers to experience weightlessness and to see the curvature of the Earth from above.
If viewing Earth from space is like motherhood, then Calandrelli said the sentiment was akin to the emotional effect she had when her kids were born — she had that same feeling when seeing it for the first time.
The online backlash doesn’t deter Calandrelli, though. She maintains her focus on the inspiration her journey has ignited. On returning, a Southwest flight attendant encouraged her thus: “Don’t let them dull your shine.”
The newest female pioneer in space is Calandrelli. Her addition grows the legacy of pioneering women in space, reminding us it takes many knocks and bruises to chase one’s dreams and overcome obstacles here on Earth and beyond.
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