In a poignant gesture of camaraderie and remembrance, the crew of the Artemis II mission has suggested naming a lunar crater “Carroll” to honor the late wife of their mission commander, Reid Wiseman. The proposal comes as the astronauts became the first humans to view several craters on the far side of the moon during their historic journey.
The suggestion reflects the deep personal bonds forged among the crew during their voyage beyond low Earth orbit. Carroll Wiseman, who passed away from cancer in 2020, was a dedicated newborn intensive care unit Registered Nurse who spent her life helping others according to NASA. For Commander Wiseman, the mission represents not only a professional pinnacle but a deeply emotional milestone shared with the memory of his spouse.
The Artemis II mission, which launched on April 1, 2026, marks the first crewed flight around the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972 per Wikipedia records. Led by Wiseman, the crew includes NASA astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
The Historic Reach of Artemis II
The mission utilized the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which lifted off from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. EDT on Wednesday as detailed by NASA. The crew traveled aboard the Orion spacecraft on an approximately 10-day test flight designed to orbit the moon and return to Earth.
During the flight, the crew achieved several significant milestones. Most notably, the mission broke the distance record previously held by Apollo 13 during a daring moon flyby that also included the observation of a solar eclipse according to Britannica. This achievement places the four crew members among the humans who have traveled the farthest from Earth.
Commander Reid Wiseman, 50, has made history as the oldest human to travel beyond low Earth orbit and the first person to command a lunar mission since Gene Cernan on Apollo 17 per Wikipedia. A 27-year Navy veteran and retired Captain, Wiseman previously served as the 17th chief of the Astronaut Office from 2020 to 2022.
A Legacy of Service and Sacrifice
Beyond the technical achievements of the Artemis II mission, the proposal to name a crater after Carroll Wiseman highlights the human side of space exploration. Wiseman has spoken candidly about the challenges of his personal life, noting that his time as a single parent to his two children has been the greatest challenge and most rewarding phase of his life according to his NASA biography.
The crew’s desire to honor Carroll Wiseman’s legacy—specifically her work as a nurse in a newborn intensive care unit—underscores a theme of service that mirrors the astronauts’ own careers. Wiseman’s own experience in space includes a 165-day mission aboard the International Space Station during Expedition 41 in 2014, where he completed over 300 scientific experiments and served as a lead spacewalker per NASA.
Mission Summary and Key Milestones
| Detail | Mission Fact |
|---|---|
| Launch Date | April 1, 2026 source |
| Launch Site | Launch Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center source |
| Crew Members | Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen source |
| Primary Spacecraft | Orion source |
| Flight Duration | Approximately 10 days source |
What This Means for Lunar Nomenclature
The naming of lunar features is typically a formal process handled by international bodies, but the suggestion from the Artemis II crew brings a personal dimension to the mapping of the far side of the moon. By proposing the name “Carroll,” the crew seeks to permanently link the memory of a healthcare professional’s dedication to the exploration of the lunar frontier.
The far side of the moon has long been a mystery to humanity, as it never faces Earth. For the crew of Artemis II, being the first to lay eyes on specific craters in this region provided a unique opportunity to suggest a name that reflects the support systems and loved ones who make such perilous journeys possible.
As the mission concludes its 10-day test flight, the global community awaits the official return of the crew and the subsequent analysis of the flight data. The successful execution of this flyby is a critical step in NASA’s broader goal of returning humans to the lunar surface.
The next confirmed checkpoint for the mission is the completion of the approximately 10-day flight and the subsequent splashdown and recovery of the Orion spacecraft as outlined by NASA.
We invite our readers to share their thoughts on the Artemis II mission and the proposal to honor Carroll Wiseman in the comments below.