A bright spot by the Moon called Carroll
Artemis II, for all it offers science, is proof of the humanity that sits within everybody, that values life and loss, that honours love
On April 6, the four astronauts aboard the Artemis II Orion spacecraft, Integrity, woke up to a message from beyond the grave: “Welcome to my old neighbourhood”. The message was from the late astronaut Jim Lovell, the first human to travel to the Moon twice and to space four times. His message was an acknowledgment — of shared awe and aspirations, of progress made, of dreams realised across generations. Two months before he died in 2025, he congratulated the Artemis II crew: “It’s a historic day, and I know how busy you’ll be, but don’t forget to enjoy the view.” Ultimately, in trying to do something groundbreaking, four people on a dangerous 10-day mission, 2,48,655 miles away from home, also chose to honour those who got them there. Upon identifying two previously undiscovered craters on the Moon, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen told mission control, “It’s a bright spot on the Moon. And we would like to call it Carroll,” in honour of his crew member Reid Wiseman’s late wife.
On Earth, ravaged by conflict, climate catastrophe, and nuclear threats, hope sometimes seems in short supply. But after a successful flyby of the far side of the Moon, Artemis II returned home with invaluable insights, and maybe, some hope. From Yuri Gagarin, “People, let us preserve and increase this beauty,” to Artemis’s Christina Koch, “Looking back at Earth…it truly emphasised how alike we are,” space voyagers have the same takeaway: The wonder is on Earth.
This mission, for all it offers science, is proof of the humanity that sits within everybody, that values life and loss, that honours love. It is a reminder: In a seemingly darkening world, love and humanity remain the bright spots.
