For the first time 50 years the U.S. begins efforts to land on the moon again. This mission is NASA’S first crewed test flight of the Artemis program. While the mission is planned to get human to return to the moon and eventually set up a space program there to prepare mission to Mars. Artemis II’s purpose is not to land on the moon but to send astronauts on a lunar flyby around the entire moon. This is a test to ensure the systems needed for future deep-scavengers exploration are safe.
The crew were the first to see the back of the moon and even made a pro-founding discovery. The crew saw parts of the moon that had never been seen directly by human eyes. Specifically, the astronauts found new craters that cameras missed. The astronauts named a bright lunar crater “Caroll.” The name was to honor Reid Wiseman’s wife. He was an astronaut on Artemis II and his wife passed in May 2020 from cancer. She was a pediatric nurse practitioner and NICU nurse who was known as gentle and deeply devoted to helping others. The Artemis II crew came across this bright spec on the moon that was a lunar crater. The crew stated “We lost a loved one… her name was Caroll.” They then decided to name the spec of light on the moon to honor her.
This moment swept huge across social media. Millions were so touched at this sweet love story and honor Reid Wiseman showed for his wife. Now Caroll will always be remembered and honored throughout the world.
The crew all made history on Artemis II and all astronauts show the growing more inclusive NASA force and new Canadian allies. First, Reid Wiseman the commander who was a 27- year navy veteran and former NASA Chief Astronaut. Victor Glover the pilot, who was the first black astronaut to fly around the moon. Christina Koch the mission specialist, and the longest single space flight by a woman. Lastly, Jeremy Hansen the mission specialist, who shows Canadas teamwork in this mission by being a Canadian space agency astronaut and first Canadian to fly deep space.
