Artronauts Propose Naming Moon Crater for Commander’s Late Wife

The crew of NASA’s upcoming Artemis II moon mission has proposed a deeply personal tribute from lunar orbit. Commander Reid Wiseman and his three crewmates were the first humans to see several unnamed craters on the far side of the moon during mission preparations. They now want to name one of them “Carroll” after Carroll Hofaker Wiseman, the commander’s wife, who died of cancer in 2020. The proposal follows an old astronaut tradition of naming landmarks after people. The International Astronomical Union must give final approval for the name. If accepted, “Carroll Crater” will permanently mark the lunar surface. The Artemis II mission will carry the four astronauts around the moon no earlier than September 2025. It will be the first crewed flight to the moon since 1972.