In a rare pause from mission milestones, astronauts aboard Artemis II marked a deeply personal moment as they orbited the Moon — proposing to name a newly observed lunar crater after Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman.
The gesture, captured in a widely shared video released by NASA, has struck a chord online, blending the scale of space exploration with an intimate act of remembrance.
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A tribute beyond Earth
During the mission, astronaut Jeremy Hansen radioed mission control with the proposal, describing the crater as “a bright spot on the Moon” the crew wished to name “Carroll.”
In the video shared by NASA on Instagram, Hansen recalled the loss of Carroll, calling her a cherished part of their “close-knit astronaut family.” The proposed name honours her memory as both a spouse and mother. The moment unfolded inside the spacecraft as the crew reflected on their journey. Wiseman was seen wiping away tears, while fellow astronauts Christina Koch and Victor Glover joined in a quiet show of support.
Who was Carroll Taylor Wiseman?
Carroll Taylor Wiseman, who died of cancer in 2020 at the age of 46, worked extensively in healthcare as a neonatal intensive care nurse and later as a pediatric nurse practitioner and school nurse.
Her life, centred on caregiving and service, was remembered by the crew as they looked down at the Moon’s surface — turning a scientific mission into a personal tribute. Back on Earth, Wiseman is raising their two daughters, Ellie and Katherine, and has previously described fatherhood as both his greatest challenge and reward.
Naming process and mission milestones
While the crew’s proposal carries symbolic weight, official naming of lunar features is governed by the International Astronomical Union. Traditionally, such features are named after notable figures in science, exploration or engineering.
However, exceptions exist. During earlier missions like Apollo 8, astronauts informally named features that were later recognised, such as Mount Marilyn.
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Alongside “Carroll,” the Artemis II crew also proposed the name “Integrity,” inspired by their Orion spacecraft. The tribute comes as the mission continues to set records. The crew has travelled farther from Earth than any humans since the Apollo era, surpassing the distance achieved during Apollo 13.
With the spacecraft now on its return journey, a splashdown off the California coast is expected to conclude the historic mission.
