Artemis II astronauts name lunar crater after NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman’s late wife
Shortly after setting a new human spaceflight distance record, the Artemis II crew proposed naming a lunar crater in honor of commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman.
The crew of Artemis II made history on April 6 as they passed on the far side of the moon, observing previously unseen craters and proposing a name to forever memorialize commander Reid Wiseman’s wife.
As the Artemis II crew made history flying farther from Earth than any humans before them, they also marked a deeply personal moment while orbiting the moon.
Shortly after surpassing the Apollo 13 distance record of 248,655 miles on April 6, the four-person American and Canadian crew began identifying and proposing names for lunar features they observed with the naked eye.
One crater along the boundary between the moon’s near side and far side stood out.
Just northwest of Orientale basin, highlighted above, is a crater the Artemis II crew would like to name Integrity after their spacecraft. Just northeast of the Integrity crater, on the near and far side boundary, and sometimes visible from Earth, the crew suggested an unnamed crater be designated Carroll in honor of Reid Weisman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman, who passed away on May 17, 2020. (Image: NASA)
The astronauts suggested naming it “Carroll,” in honor of Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman, who died of cancer on May 17, 2020 as plans for the Artemis II mission were coming together.
The proposal came as the Orion spacecraft passed over the far side of the moon, offering the crew rare views of terrain that cannot be seen from Earth.
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman is pictured with his late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman. In the background is a photo of the moon taken by the Artemis II crew on April 6, 2026. (Image: Wiseman family/NASA)
Just before reaching the record-breaking distance, Wiseman learned that his daughters and other family members were watching from the mission control viewing deck in Houston. In response, he formed a heart with his hands toward the camera and showed a bracelet made by his daughters that he is wearing throughout the mission.
NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman shows "heart hands" for the camera after hearing his daughters were watching from mission control. (Image: NASA)
The crew also proposed naming another nearby crater “Integrity,” after their spacecraft and the mission itself.
These names are not yet official. After Artemis II concludes, the proposals will be submitted to the International Astronomical Union, which governs the naming of celestial bodies and their surface features.
Beyond the historic milestone, the moment underscored the human side of deep space exploration, blending record-setting achievement with remembrance, as the crew carried personal stories with them more than 250,000 miles from Earth.
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