Former NASA astronauts Jose Hernandez and Charles Camarda offered sharply contrasting views Tuesday on Newsmax as anticipation builds for the Artemis II mission.
Hernandez emphasized the mindset of the crew during an appearance on "Wake Up America," saying, "They're excited, they've trained a lot," and comparing the moment to "when you're in college, you want [the test] to come right now, so you can nail it and ace it."
Barring any unexpected delays, NASA plans to launch Artemis II on Wednesday around 6:30 p.m. ET.
He added, "They're anxious, they're trained, and they're ready to go."
On the broader mission, Hernandez stressed its importance as a stepping stone, explaining Artemis II will test "the life support systems of the Orion spacecraft," allowing astronauts to orbit the moon before future missions attempt landings.
He noted the long-term goal, "We want to establish a long-duration lunar base so that we can test our equipment that will one day allow us to go to Mars and beyond."
Hernandez also reaffirmed confidence in past lunar missions, stating, "My belief is, yes, we have been to the moon, and we will return." He also highlighted renewed global competition, "The Chinese want to get there, and we're going to beat them."
Camarda, however, warned the mission carries unacceptable risk.
"I do not believe we should launch with a crew right now. It's too risky," he said, pointing to unresolved concerns with the spacecraft's heat shield.
"NASA does not understand what caused the failure, and so the risk right now is greater than it was during Apollo," he added.
Camarda was unequivocal when pressed, "Absolutely not. We should not be flying astronauts with that kind of risk 60 years after Apollo."
Camarda said that NASA "cannot put a numerical value on the risk," calling estimates "way too high."
Despite the disagreement, both astronauts acknowledged the historic stakes of the mission, with Hernandez framing it as a "major step" after decades focused on low-Earth orbit and Camarda urging caution before proceeding.
The Artemis II launch, if successful, would mark the first crewed lunar mission in more than half a century.
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