Astronauts Name Moon Crater After Commander's Late Wife

Four astronauts floating past the moon broke into tears this week when they proposed honoring their commander's late wife with a crater bearing her name.

The Artemis II crew, led by Reid Wiseman, became the first humans to see certain parts of the moon's far side on Monday. When they spotted unnamed craters, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen suggested naming one "Carroll" after Wiseman's wife, who died of cancer at age 46 in 2020.

"It's a bright spot on the moon," Hansen said over the radio, his voice breaking with emotion. The crew floated together in a long embrace while mission control observed nearly a minute of silence before responding, "Integrity and Carroll crater, loud and clear."

Carroll Wiseman was a registered nurse who worked in the intensive care unit for newborns near Houston. When she first got sick, her husband wanted to move closer to family, but she insisted they stay. "This is where you work and you love your job," she told him, according to Baltimore Magazine.

Three years after her death, Reid Wiseman was chosen to command the first crewed moon mission in over half a century. "It was like I was carrying a legacy of her along," he told The Times last year.

The 27-year Navy veteran considers raising his two teenage daughters alone "his greatest challenge and the most rewarding phase of his life," according to his NASA biography. His daughters, who once worried about their dad launching into space, quickly supported his mission when he explained its importance.

The morning after learning about his selection, Wiseman woke to find his older daughter making moon cupcakes for the family. "She was the one that was most against this for her life," he told NASA's podcast. "These two kids I thought were gonna pull me, but they were pushing me."

Why This Inspires

This moment shows how love transcends even the vastness of space. A father honoring his late wife while pursuing their shared dream reminds us that grief and achievement can coexist beautifully.

Carroll's bright spot on the moon will be visible from Earth during certain lunar transits, a fitting tribute to a woman who encouraged her husband to keep shining. NASA will formally submit the name to the International Astronomical Union after the mission ends.

Reid Wiseman's last social media post before launch was a selfie with his daughters in front of the rocket, captioned: "I love these two ladies, and I'm boarding that rocket a very proud father."