JMU alumna honored by NASA Artemis II astronauts with lunar namesake

Astronauts from NASA’s Artemis II mission have named a crater on the moon in honor of Carroll Wiseman (’95), a James Madison University graduate and the late wife of mission commander Reid Wiseman.

During the mission, the crew proposed the name “Carroll,” describing it as “a bright spot on the moon.”

Carroll Wiseman studied biology at JMU and was a member of Alpha Sigma Tau before graduating in 1995. She worked as a pediatric nurse practitioner.

Carroll Crater is located on the far side of the moon. The designation serves as a tribute to her life and legacy.

Artemis II is the first crewed mission in NASA’s Artemis program, which is designed to test spacecraft systems and operations ahead of future lunar exploration missions. The mission follows the April 1 launch from Kennedy Space Center.

The Artemis II crew includes astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. During the mission, the crew has traveled farther from Earth than humans have in more than 50 years.

The flight includes a loop around the moon and the collection of observations and data to support future Artemis missions.

Source: NASA