Artemis II Crew Gets Emotional with Historic Discovery on the Moon

On Monday, April 6, 2026, the four-person crew of Artemis II shared a moment of profound vulnerability as they officially travelled farther into space than any humans have before, and that moment inspired a moment of silence at Mission Control. While peering through the Orion’s windows with the naked eye and high-powered lenses, the crew identified two "fresh," previously unnamed craters on the lunar surface.

The crew, who have become a close-knit family over years of training, were visibly moved as they discussed the landmarks they hope will remain a permanent part of the lunar map.

'Integrity': A Tribute to the Mission

The first crater identified by the crew is a feature they have suggested naming "Integrity." The name is a direct honor to their spacecraft, which the crew officially named Integrity during their pre-flight quarantine.

For the astronauts, the name represents the "whole and undivided" effort of the thousands of people who built the vehicle. Identifying a crater in its honor serves as a lasting tribute to the engineering that has safely carried them further into the void than any generation before them.

A Bright Spot for Commander Reid Weisman's Wife, Carroll Wiseman

The second discovery was the one that brought the mission to an emotional standstill. Located on the boundary between the near and far sides of the Moon — a "bright spot" that the crew noted is visible from Earth during certain points of the lunar cycle — the crew suggested the name "Carroll."

Congrats to our wonderful astronauts: Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen for being the furthest humans to fly in space. They found two unnamed lunar craters which was named Integrity and Carroll. pic.twitter.com/ETM9NdJZ6J

— Extreme Weather Events (@EWEWeather) April 6, 2026

The crater is a tribute to Carroll Wiseman, the late wife of Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman. Carroll, a mother and healthcare professional, passed away in 2020 after a battle with cancer. By choosing a feature just on the edge of the near side, the crew has ensured that the landmark is not lost to the hidden side of the Moon. Instead, it remains a feature that can be seen by those looking up from Earth, including Wiseman’s daughters, Katie and Ellie.

The Artemis II Astronauts Get Emotional

The live stream from the Integrity cabin captured a rare, raw moment as the crew — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — embraced and wiped away tears following the announcement.

"We started a close-knit space journey," the crew shared during the downlink, noting that the "Carroll" crater represents a loved one lost but never forgotten.

The Artemis II is continuing its trajectory to the far side of the moon, where it will conduct the official lunar flyby later this evening.