Hi there and welcome again to TechCrunch Area. Completely happy Eclipse Day for everybody celebrating! I’m lucky to be dwelling in part of the nation that’s within the path of totality, so I’ll be away from my desk for a lot of right now, soaking all of it in.

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NASA has given three area firms the possibility to design the next-generation moon buggy — however just one design will go to area. Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab are creating rugged automobiles supposed for astronauts to drive round on the lunar floor, from which NASA might select as early as subsequent 12 months.

The three groups will now enter right into a 12-month “feasibility section” that can culminate in a preliminary design assessment. At that time, there will probably be a subsequent aggressive request for proposals, the place the trio of firms will compete for an indication job order. At that time, a last awardee will probably be chosen. The chosen firm will probably be accountable not just for designing the lunar terrain car (LTV) but additionally for launching and touchdown it on the moon previous to the Artemis V mission, which is at the moment slated for no sooner than 2029.

Picture Credit: Intuitive Machines

Footage obtained by TechCrunch exhibits the catastrophic ending that Astra’s Rocket 3.0 suffered throughout prelaunch testing in March 2020.

The explosion, which occurred at Alaska’s Pacific Spaceport Advanced, was merely reported as an “anomaly” on the time, an trade time period for just about any problem that deviates from the anticipated consequence.

Picture Credit: TechCrunch

Blue Origin introduced the crew of the subsequent New Shepard launch — and 90-year-old Ed Dwight is among the many names listed. I’m embarrassed to confess that I didn’t acknowledge the title, however this story over at GeekWire helped fill within the lacking items to his story and its significance to the historical past of human spaceflight.

Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin grew to become the primary man in area on April 12, 1961. From NASA: “His car, Vostok 1 circled Earth at a velocity of 27,400 kilometers per hour with the flight lasting 108 minutes. Vostok’s reentry was managed by a pc. In contrast to the early U.S. human spaceflight applications, Gagarin didn’t land within capsule. As an alternative, he ejected from the spacecraft and landed by parachute.”

Gagarin on the best way to the launch website of Vostok I, April 12, 1961. Picture Credit: Sovfoto/Common Pictures Group through Getty Pictures