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Artemis II Astronauts Name Moon Crater After Commander Reid Wiseman's Late Wife

The emotional moment was streamed by NASA moments after the crew made history.

Headshot of Corin Cesaric-Epple
Headshot of Corin Cesaric-Epple
Corin Cesaric-Epple Editor
Corin Cesaric-Epple is a Flex Editor at CNET. She received her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Before joining CNET, she covered crime at People Magazine and national and international news at NBC Local Television Stations.
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an astronaut looks out a window at the moon in the distance

Reid Wiseman gazes at the moon while aboard Orion on April 6. 

 NASA/Getty Images

On Monday, after the crew aboard Artemis II made a historic feat by breaking Apollo 13's distance record, they made the moment even more special by proposing to name one of the craters on the moon "Carroll," in memory of Commander Reid Wiseman's late wife. 

While contacting Mission Control, Mission Specialist and astronaut Jeremy Hansen stated that the "close-knit astronaut family" previously lost a loved one who was "the spouse of Reid, the mother of Katie and Ellie." 

"It's a bright spot on the moon," Hansen said while describing the crater during the emotional call. "And we would like to call it Carroll."

After the request, you can see Wiseman embrace Hansen before the rest of the crew joins in for a group hug. 

Watch this: NASA's Artemis II Breaks Record With Trip Around The Moon

Carroll Wiseman died in 2020 at 46 years old from cancer. Wiseman's NASA bio page states that Carroll "dedicated her life to helping others as a newborn intensive care unit Registered Nurse." 

Before the Artemis II mission, Wiseman posted a selfie with his two daughters on X with a caption that reads in part, "I love these two ladies, and I'm boarding that rocket a very proud father."

Follow CNET's coverage of the 10-day Artemis II mission as the Orion makes its way back to Earth.

NASA Artemis II Day 7: Homeward Bound After Breaking Apollo 13's Record for Space Travel See at CNET