During Artemis II’s historic flight—traveling farther from Earth than any previous human mission—the crew dedicated a lunar crater to Carroll Wiseman, the late wife of Commander Reid Wiseman. Jeremy Hansen announced the proposed name “Carroll” live, prompting an emotional embrace among the astronauts and a moment of silence. The crew also proposed naming a second crater “Integrity,” and both proposals will be formally submitted to the International Astronomical Union after the mission.
A Bright Spot on the Moon: Artemis II Honors Commander Reid Wiseman’s Late Wife by Naming Lunar Crater “Carroll”
Wiseman Family via NASA
After Artemis II surpassed the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth, the crew used one of their first messages home to share a deeply personal tribute.
In a quiet, emotional moment broadcast worldwide, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen announced a dedication over the radio:
“A number of years ago, we started this journey in our close-knit astronaut family, and we lost a loved one. Her name was Carroll … [There is] a bright spot on the moon and we would like to call it Carroll.”
Carroll Wiseman, the wife of Commander Reid Wiseman, died in 2020 after a battle with cancer at age 46. The announcement prompted an immediate, heartfelt reaction inside the Orion capsule: Reid Wiseman wiped away tears, floated across the cabin and embraced Hansen, joined moments later by pilot Victor Glover and pilot/mission specialist Christina Koch. The crew then observed a moment of silence.
Personal Tribute Amid a Historic Milestone
Beyond marking a new distance record for human spaceflight, the dedication brought a human, accessible moment to millions watching on livestreams. Viewers filled chat feeds with messages of support as the crew honored Carroll’s memory.
NASA
Carroll Wiseman was a pediatric nurse practitioner and is survived by two daughters, Ellie and Katherine. In an interview with The Times, Reid Wiseman said Carroll encouraged him to keep pursuing his astronaut dreams when she became ill, and he discussed the challenges of parenting as he prepared for this risky deep‑space mission.
About the Crater and a Second Proposed Name
The crew identified a small crater — sometimes visible from Earth — located along the boundary between the Moon’s near side and far side, which they proposed to name Carroll. During the same radio message they also proposed naming a second crater Integrity, a name already chosen for their Orion spacecraft.
According to NASA, “the name Integrity embodies the foundation of trust, respect, candor and humility across the crew and the many engineers, technicians, scientists, planners and dreamers required for mission success.”
After the mission concludes, the crew’s formal name proposals will be submitted to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the authority that governs names for celestial surface features.
Reflecting on the milestone, Hansen framed the dedication as both a tribute and a challenge: to honor past explorers and to inspire current and future generations to push farther into space so the new distance record will not stand for long.
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