An emotional Instagram post shared by Katey Wiseman, the daughter of Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman, has moved thousands after the historic space mission returned safely to Earth.
Reid Wiseman, father to Katey and Ellie Wiseman, was one of four astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis 2, the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis program to journey around the moon.
Artemis II launched on April 1, 2026, marking NASA’s first crewed mission beyond low‑Earth orbit in more than 50 years, since Apollo 17 in 1972. The crew—commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—traveled roughly 252,760 miles from Earth, breaking the distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970.
In her post, Katey reflected on the emotional weight of watching her father take part in the mission, saying the reality only fully dawned on her years after the crew was first announced. “I don’t even know where to start. I remember watching the crew get announced almost precisely three years ago, but I never understood the gravity of the situation until April 1 at 6:35pm.”
Katey went on to describe watching the Artemis 2 rocket lift off—a moment she said was both beautiful and painful, given the risks involved.
“Watching the Artemis II rocket lift off the pad was a feeling I will never be able to describe to a single soul on this planet. Watching my own Dad risking it all for the benefit of humanity was such a beautiful yet achingly painful.”
Katey also paid tribute to her late mother, Carroll, writing about the emotional significance of having a crater named after her—which she described as a deeply personal and lasting honor for their family.
“To have a crater named after my mother was completely unreal. She was the funniest, most kind, and beautiful mom on this Earth and will now not just be part of history, but etched into the moon itself for all of eternity,” Katey wrote.
“To look up at the sky every night and see her is the most beautiful thing I have ever been given.”
During the Artemis 2 mission, the crew formally proposed naming two lunar craters, one of them in honor of Carroll Wiseman, the late wife of mission commander Reid Wiseman and the mother of his daughters, Katey and Ellie.
The moment was captured live during the mission, when Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen radioed to Mission Control that the crew wished to name a bright lunar crater “Carroll,” calling it a tribute to “a loved one” and identifying her as Reid Wiseman’s spouse and the mother of his children. The crew also proposed the name “Integrity” for a second crater, after the Orion spacecraft used during the mission.
The Associated Press said Carroll Wiseman died of cancer in 2020 and had worked as a neonatal intensive-care unit nurse.
After Artemis 2 returned safely to Earth, the proposed names were submitted to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the governing body responsible for approving official names of celestial features.
Katey also thanked the thousands of people behind Artemis 2, crediting teams across multiple space agencies for bringing the crew home safely.
She said: “I have to thank every single employee from NASA, CSA, and every international partner involved that not only made this mission possible but returned our crew home safely and made this one of the most unforgettable moments in history.”
The post concluded with a heartfelt message directly addressed to her father, acknowledging he may never see it himself.
“Dad, you never actually use Instagram, so I don’t think you’ll ever see this but I will never be able to put into words how proud I am to be your daughter,” Katey wrote.
“You aren’t just an outstanding astronaut, incredible friend to thousands and inspiration to the world, you are truly the best, funniest, most patient and caring dad in this world (and out of it). Welcome home, Dad. Love you to the moon and back.”
The post—which has garnered over 278,000 likes and more than 2,100 comments—included photos of Wiseman celebrating his return, moments shared between father and daughter, matching bracelets they made for each other, cookies baked in anticipation of his homecoming, a space‑themed ‘welcome home’ banner, and images of him posing with a cake.
Instagram users were quick to react with messages of joy and support, including comments such as:
“OMG [oh my God]!!! I am so happy for you and your family!!! Miss you Katey!!”
“So happy for yall!!”
“This is the cutest thing i’ve ever seen!!”
The post also resonated strongly on Threads, where users highlighted both the emotion of Katey’s words and the significance of the lunar tribute to her mother.
“How eloquent that post was, I’m even more happy theres a spot in the moon named after her mom. Damn moon joy got me again,” one user wrote.
“What beautiful meaningful words,” another added.
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