- Artemis II crew named a lunar crater Carroll after commander Wiseman's late wife Carroll
- Astronauts reached the farthest point from Earth ever travelled by humans on April 6
- Another crater was named Integrity, matching the name of their spacecraft
NASA's Artemis II crew has named a lunar crater "Carroll" after Carroll Taylor Wiseman, the late wife of mission commander Reid Wiseman. Carroll passed away in 2020 after a five-year-long battle with cancer.
On April 6, the astronauts on the Artemis II mission reached the farthest point from Earth ever travelled by humans.
The naming was announced as the crew, comprising three Americans and one Canadian, entered the Moon's gravitational sphere of influence. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen spoke during a live broadcast, saying, "It's a bright spot on the Moon. And we would like to call it Carroll."
Not every day you can get your wife in a spacesuit for a family selfie! Compliments to our kids for the photobomb!! pic.twitter.com/aPWammMTYY
— Reid Wiseman (@astro_reid) May 14, 2014
Commander Wiseman and the other astronauts became emotional and had tears in their eyes. They came together and hugged each other while floating in space. Hansen also mentioned that the crater can be seen from Earth at certain times as the Moon moves around our planet.
They also gave another Moon crater the name "Integrity," which is the same name as their spacecraft.
A NASA spokesperson in Houston said these names are not final yet. They will be sent to the International Astronomical Union, which is the official organisation that decides and approves names for celestial bodies and features.
The Artemis II crew named a lunar crater after Commander Reid Wiseman's late wife, Carroll. What a beautiful and touching moment.
— Jenny Hautmann (@JennyHPhoto) April 6, 2026
I'm not crying, you're crying ???? pic.twitter.com/3D1qgxK0jB
On Monday, the Artemis II crew travelled further from Earth than any human has ever gone before. During the six-hour lunar observation window, the astronauts flew around the Moon and viewed regions never seen by the naked eye.
"We most importantly choose this moment to challenge this generation and the next, to make sure this record is not long-lived," said Hansen.
The astronauts began their historic day by listening to a recorded message from Jim Lovell, an astronaut who had gone to the Moon during Apollo 8 and Apollo 13. He recorded this message shortly before he passed away.
"It's a historic day, and I know how busy you'll be, but don't forget to enjoy the view. Welcome to my old neighbourhood. I'm proud to pass that torch on to you as you swing around the Moon," he said.
The Artemis II mission, led by Wiseman, includes several firsts. Victor Glover is the first person of colour to fly around the Moon, Christina Koch is the first woman, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen is the first non-American.
The Artemis II marks NASA's first crewed return to the Moon since Apollo 11 in 1969, with plans to land astronauts near the Moon's south pole in 2028.
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