Artemis II Crew Honors Late Wife of Commander Reid Wiseman with Moon Crater

A historic lunar flyby and a personal tribute

On April 6, the Artemis II crew—Commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—completed a ten‑day test flight around the Moon that began with the SLS launch from Kennedy Space Center at 6:35 p.m. EDT. As the Orion spacecraft approached its lunar flyby, the crew requested Mission Control to name an unnamed crater “Carroll,” honoring Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman, who died of cancer in 2020.

Jeremy Hansen’s request sparked an emotional moment: the astronauts gathered around a tablet, exchanged glances, and a single tear rolled down Wiseman’s cheek before he whispered, “Thank you.” The crater, described as a “bright spot,” now carries a personal legacy alongside the mission’s technical milestones.

Wiseman, a 27‑year Navy veteran and former ISS flight engineer, has spoken of his daughters, Katie and Ellie, as his greatest motivation. The dedication underscores how the Artemis program intertwines national achievement with intimate human stories.

The mission will return to Earth next week, bringing back data that will inform Artemis III’s planned landing on the lunar surface.