Artemis II Crew Honors Late Astronaut’s Wife with Lunar Crater Dedication
The crew of the historic Artemis II mission paid tribute to the late Carol Wiseman, the wife of mission commander Reid Wiseman, by proposing to name a lunar crater in her honor. This poignant moment was captured on video during a recent mission update.
Jeremy Hansen, a Canadian astronaut participating in the mission, communicated with mission control, expressing the crew’s desire to commemorate their journey by naming two craters on the moon. One dedicated to Carol Wiseman, who tragically lost her battle with cancer in 2020 at the age of 46, was celebrated for her dedication as a registered nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
A video highlighting an emotional tribute shows Hansen delivering a heartfelt eulogy for Carol Wiseman, as the crew members embrace each other in the weightlessness of space. Fellow astronaut Christina Koch was among those visibly moved, wiping away tears as Hansen memorialized her life.
Hansen remarked on the deep personal loss felt by the crew, calling Carol a “bright spot on the moon” that will forever symbolize her legacy. He highlighted her role as not only Reid’s spouse but as a devoted mother, capturing the bond shared by their family.
Prior to Carol’s diagnosis, Wiseman contemplated stepping away from his astronaut career to be closer to family. Carol, however, encouraged him to pursue his dreams, which ultimately culminated in his selection as commander of the Artemis II mission in 2023.
Wiseman spoke candidly about the challenges of balancing his professional responsibilities with parenthood. Despite receiving numerous accolades throughout his career, he views his role as a single parent to his two daughters as his greatest achievement. In an interview, he described the emotional toll of leaving his children for a mission that could reshape the future of space exploration.
NASA announced an additional crater will be called “Integrity” to honor both the Orion spacecraft and the mission’s significance. Once the Artemis II mission wraps up, the team will formally submit proposals for the crater names to the International Astronomical Union, which is responsible for the official naming of celestial objects and features.
In a notable accomplishment, the Artemis II crew set a new record by traveling approximately 252,752 miles from Earth, breaking the previous distance record held by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970, which reached about 248,600 miles. Hansen expressed gratitude for this historic achievement while simultaneously challenging future generations to push the boundaries of space exploration further.
As their mission progresses, the astronauts, including Wiseman, Koch, Glover, and Hansen, have set a course back to Earth, officially departing the lunar space zone. After ten days in space, they are expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego.
