The Artemis II crew may be making history in deep space — but back on Earth, it’s a deeply human moment that’s capturing hearts.
After years of preparation, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Hammock Koch, and Jeremy Hansen launched on April 1 aboard NASA’s Orion capsule, Integrity, embarking on a 10-day to orbit the moon. As they travel farther into space than any humans before them, the crew has been sharing glimpses of life onboard — including one especially touching tribute.
In a video posted April 6 on NASA’s Instagram, the four astronauts float weightlessly inside the spacecraft as Hansen explains that they’ve spotted “relatively fresh craters on the moon” that have yet to be named. Naturally, the crew decided to make a couple of suggestions.
“If you were to look at Orientale on the far side and then draw a line straight up to Ohm on the far side, relatively in the middle is an unnamed crater and we would like to suggest it be called Integrity in the future,” Hansen says in the clip, honoring their spacecraft.
But it’s the second name that turns the moment into something unforgettable.
“And the second one, and especially meaningful for this crew, is a number of years ago, we started this journey and our close-knit astronaut family and we lost a loved one,” Hansen continues.
“We lost a loved one, her name was Carroll, the spouse of Reid, the mother of Katey and Ellie… (The crater is) a bright spot on the moon and we would like to call it Carroll,” he says, carefully spelling out her name.
He goes on to explain that the crater sits in a “really neat” location — near a boundary that makes it visible from Earth at certain times.
As Hansen speaks, the emotion inside the capsule is unmistakable. Wiseman, seated beside him, wipes away tears and clasps his hands together before placing a hand on Hansen’s shoulder. The two share a quiet embrace, soon joined by Glover and Koch, who are also visibly moved.
Carroll Wiseman, Reid’s late wife, dedicated her life to caring for others as a neonatal intensive care unit registered nurse. Today, Wiseman is raising their two children, Katey and Ellie, on his own — a role he has described as both his greatest challenge and most rewarding chapter.
The gesture didn’t go unnoticed back on Earth. Social media quickly filled with heartfelt reactions.
“Sounds like Carroll was loved to the Moon and back, literally,” one commenter wrote.
Another added, “Her babies can look to the night sky and see their mom.”
And perhaps the most fitting summary: “Find yourself a man who will fly to the moon to honor your life by naming a lunar crater after you.”
The Artemis II crew is set to return to Earth on April 10, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego. But long after they do, one bright spot on the moon may carry a name — and a story — that keeps shining.
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