Artemis II Crew Breaks Record, Honors Late Wife With Moon Crater Request
Artemis II astronauts marked their return from the moon with a record-breaking milestone, and a deeply personal request that is drawing global attention.
During the lunar flyby, the crew proposed naming two craters, including one after commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife, raising the emotional stakes of an already historic mission.
According to NPR and NASA-linked reports, astronaut Jeremy Hansen asked mission control to name one crater “Integrity” after their spacecraft and another “Carroll,” honoring Wiseman’s wife, who died in 2020 after cancer.
The moment unfolded live, with crew members visibly emotional as they embraced inside the Orion capsule while orbiting the moon.
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“It’s a bright spot on the moon, and we would like to call that Carroll,” Hansen said during the transmission.
The request came just after Artemis II surpassed Apollo 13’s record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth, adding weight to the tribute.
The gesture also revives a tradition from Apollo missions, where astronauts informally named lunar features after loved ones, blending exploration with personal legacy.
But the names are not yet official, and must be reviewed by the International Astronomical Union, which could take weeks and may apply strict naming rules.
The crew is now en route back to Earth, with final approval. Whether “Carroll” becomes a permanent mark on the moon still pending.
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