The Artemis II crew has proposed naming a lunar crater "Carroll" after the late wife of mission commander Reid Wiseman. This gesture, made after the crew surpassed the Apollo 13 distance record, was described as an emotional tribute. The name proposals are pending formal submission to the International Astronomical Union for approval. The crew also suggested naming a second crater "Integrity," after their Orion spacecraft.
The astronauts, including NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen, shared this moment in zero gravity. Tears were visible among the crew as the tribute was delivered. They are scheduled to return to Earth on Friday, splashing down near San Diego. The crew officially exited the Moon's sphere of influence on Tuesday.
Wiseman's late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman, passed away from cancer in 2020. She was the mother of their two daughters, Katie and Ellie. The naming of the "Carroll" crater has resonated widely, with many interpreting it as Wiseman symbolically giving his wife "the Moon."
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The practice of naming lunar features after significant individuals is not new. During the Apollo missions, NASA informally named various craters and mountains as shorthand for landmarks near landing sites. Officially, lunar features are typically named after deceased scientists, explorers, or engineers, according to NASA guidelines. This tradition extends to honoring crew members and deceased astronauts.
The "Carroll" crater is described as a small, fresh crater located on the nearside/farside boundary of the Moon. It is situated northwest of the "Glushko" feature and at the same latitude as "Ohm." Its position on the nearside means it will be visible from Earth at certain times. The second proposed crater, "Integrity," is located entirely on the lunar far side.
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