Artemis II Astronauts Name Lunar Craters After Commander's Late Wife and Spacecraft

The four-person crew honored the memory of Reid Wiseman's wife Carroll and their spacecraft 'Integrity' during the historic moon flyby.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 3:33am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A highly structured abstract painting in muted earthy tones, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the Artemis II spacecraft and lunar craters named 'Carroll' and 'Integrity' by the astronaut crew.The Artemis II crew's poignant tribute to their commander's late wife and their spacecraft immortalizes this historic moon mission with personal meaning.San Diego Today

During the Artemis II mission, the astronaut crew proposed naming two previously unnamed lunar craters - one after mission commander Reid Wiseman's late wife Carroll, and the other after their spacecraft 'Integrity'. The crew reached a record distance from Earth, surpassing the Apollo 13 milestone, and made the naming requests to mission control during a live broadcast.

Why it matters

The naming of lunar features is an important tradition for space missions, allowing astronauts to memorialize loved ones and commemorate key aspects of their historic journeys. The Artemis II mission is a major milestone in the Artemis program, paving the way for future crewed missions to the Moon.

The details

Shortly after reaching a record distance from Earth, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen spoke with mission control and proposed naming a bright lunar crater near the boundary of the moon's near and far sides as 'Carroll', in honor of mission commander Reid Wiseman's late wife. Hansen described the crater as being visible from Earth at certain times. The crew also proposed naming another crater 'Integrity' after their spacecraft.

  • On April 6, 2026, the Artemis II crew reached a record distance from Earth, surpassing the 1970 Apollo 13 milestone.
  • During the mission's live broadcast on April 6, 2026, the astronauts made the crater naming requests to mission control.

The players

Reid Wiseman

The commander of the Artemis II mission, whose late wife Carroll was honored with the naming of a lunar crater.

Jeremy Hansen

A Canadian Space Agency astronaut on the Artemis II mission who proposed the name 'Carroll' for the lunar crater.

Carroll Taylow Wiseman

The late wife of Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, who passed away from cancer in 2020 at the age of 46.

Artemis II

The historic NASA mission that sent a four-person crew on a flyby of the Moon, setting a new distance record from Earth.

International Astronomical Union

The organization that governs the official naming of celestial bodies and their surface features.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“A number of years ago, we started this journey in our close-knit astronaut family, and we lost a loved one.”

— Jeremy Hansen, Canadian Space Agency astronaut

“And there is a feature in a really neat place on the Moon, and it is on the nearside/farside boundary. In fact, it's just on the nearside of that boundary, and so at certain times of the Moon's transit around Earth, we will be able to see this from Earth.”

— Jeremy Hansen, Canadian Space Agency astronaut

“And so we lost a loved one. Her name was Carroll, the spouse of Reid, the mother of Katie and Ellie. And if you want to find this one, you look at Glushko, and it's just to the northwest of that, at the same latitude as Ohm, and it's a bright spot on the Moon. And we would like to call it Carroll.”

— Jeremy Hansen, Canadian Space Agency astronaut

What’s next

After the Artemis II mission is complete, the proposed crater names 'Carroll' and 'Integrity' will be formally submitted to the International Astronomical Union for official approval and designation.

The takeaway

The Artemis II astronauts' decision to honor their late colleague's wife and their spacecraft with the naming of lunar craters reflects the deep personal connections and sense of purpose that drives humanity's return to the Moon. These naming traditions help preserve the memory of loved ones and commemorate the milestones of each historic space mission.