The Artemis II crew, led by commander Reid Wiseman, proposed naming a moon crater 'Carroll' in honor of Wiseman's late wife during their historic lunar flyby on Monday. The emotional tribute came as the crew broke the record for the farthest distance from Earth ever traveled by humans.
Key Takeaways
The Artemis II crew proposed naming a moon crater 'Carroll' after commander Reid Wiseman's late wife. The emotional tribute occurred during a historic lunar flyby, marking the first human visit to the moon's far side in over 50 years.
- Artemis II crew suggests naming a lunar crater 'Carroll' for Reid Wiseman's late wife
- Crew breaks record for farthest distance from Earth traveled by humans
- Emotional moment as crew proposes names during lunar flyby
- Crater name proposals must be approved by the International Astronomical Union
The crew, which includes astronauts Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, and Christina Koch, suggested naming two unnamed craters they spotted on the moon. One crater was proposed to be named 'Integrity' after their Orion spacecraft, while the other was suggested to be named 'Carroll'. According to multiple reports, Hansen made the emotional request during a chat with mission control, stating that Carroll was 'the spouse of Reid, the mother of Katie and Ellie.' The crew embraced in a silent, floating hug as Wiseman wiped away tears.
Carroll Taylor Wiseman, a nurse in a newborn intensive care unit, died at the age of 46 in 2020 following a battle with cancer. According to HuffPost, Carroll was survived by Reid and their two daughters, Ellie and Katherine. The crater is located on the boundary between the near side and the far side of the moon and will be visible from Earth during certain lunar transits.
The Artemis II mission, which launched in April, aims to complete a lunar flyby and test systems for future lunar landings. The crew has traveled over 685,000 miles (1.1 million km) on their round-trip journey around the moon. According to NPR, the proposed names must be submitted to the International Astronomical Union for approval after the mission is complete.
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