Artemis Commander Shares Emotional Lunar Moment Honoring Late Wife
BBC science correspondent Rebecca Morelle interviewed Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman about the historic lunar mission, highlighting a poignant moment when the crew honored a crater named after his deceased spouse, Carroll. The commander described the gesture as “unbelievably powerful,” with his two daughters present in NASA’s mission control room for the occasion.
During the final leg of a groundbreaking expedition, the BBC accompanied the mission team as they established their presence in Canada’s remote northern regions. Meanwhile, the Canadian prime minister joined the Ottawa Charge team on the ice rink, alongside the Finnish president, during his inaugural formal diplomatic engagement.
Reid Wiseman’s wife passed away from cancer in 2020 at the age of 46. The Artemis II crew, currently on day three of their journey around the Moon’s far side, will return to Earth on 10 April following a 10-day mission. The Orion spacecraft is set to bring them back, expected to splash down off San Diego’s coast on that date.
Jeremy Hansen, Canada’s first astronaut to venture into deep space, received a call from the prime minister during the mission. The crew also set a new record for distance from Earth, surpassing the Apollo 13 team’s 1970 achievement of 248,655 miles (400,171km) and continuing their outward trajectory.
“It is so great to hear from Earth again,” said astronaut Christina Koch upon reestablishing communication.
Elsewhere, legal matters took center stage as Jasveen Sangha was sentenced to 15 years for drug-related deaths linked to Friends actor Matthew Perry. Rex Heuermann admitted guilt in the murder of eight women killed on Long Island between 1993 and 2010. A separate incident saw police respond to a Tampa homeowner discovering a nine-foot alligator in his pool area, which was later removed by specialists.
Back on Earth, the first lady delivered a full statement at the White House addressing her ties to a late sex offender. Meanwhile, the annual “Great Marshmallow Drop” event saw over 15,000 treats descend from a helicopter as children rushed to collect them. Though Artemis II will not land on the Moon, NASA remains on track for a potential lunar touchdown by 2028.
