Artemis II astronauts follow Apollo tradition of naming lunar features after loved ones

Lunar love knows no bounds. Artemis II’s astronauts took a poignant page from Apollo 8 earlier this week, proposing deeply personal names for a pair of lunar craters. They’re seeking permission to name one crater after their capsule Integrity and another after commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife Carroll. Once they’re back on Earth, they’ll put in a formal request to the International Astronomical Union. During Apollo 8 in 1968, astronaut Jim Lovell bestowed his wife’s name to a peak: Mount Marilyn. It took the union almost half a century to approve the name. This time, it’s promising a decision in a month.

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