A view of the Moon as the Artemis II mission’s Orion spacecraft approaches to reach its furthest distance from Earth, in this screengrab taken from a livestream video on Monday. NASA/Handout via Reuters
In a heartwarming moment, Artemis II astronauts — who achieved a historic milestone travelling 406,773 km from Earth — paid tribute to Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll.
The crew proposed naming a lunar crater after her, who passed away in 2020 after battling cancer. Inside the spacecraft, the astronauts shared a group hug.
“The Artemis II crew named a lunar crater after Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll. What a beautiful and touching moment.
I’m not crying, you’re crying 🤧” — Jenny Hautmann (@JennyHPhoto), April 6, 2026
The proposal does require formal approval from the International Astronomical Union, but the significance of the moment has already resonated widely as a symbol of the human side of space exploration.
The tribute took place during a six-hour observation window on the Moon’s far side, where the crew identified an unnamed bright crater near the Glushko crater.
“Not every day you can get your wife in a spacesuit for a family selfie! Compliments to our kids for the photobomb!!” — Reid Wiseman (@astro_reid), May 14, 2014
