Washington, D.C. – NASA has been given the task by the White House to establish a new time zone for the moon by the end of 2026. This directive is part of the United States’ efforts to set international standards in space, particularly in light of the increasing interest in establishing a sustainable human presence on the moon. The initiative is a key aspect of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to achieve this goal in the near future.
The new lunar standard, known as “Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC),” is part of a larger endeavor to create time standards for celestial bodies beyond Earth. This initiative, outlined in an April 2 memo from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), aims to ensure accuracy and reliability in operations within the challenging lunar environment. Whether the moon will have multiple time zones like Earth is yet to be determined.
The lower gravity on the moon compared to Earth results in time moving slightly faster there – approximately 58.7 microseconds faster each day. While this difference may seem insignificant, it can pose challenges for future missions in terms of communication, satellite tracking, and crew positioning. Establishing celestial time standards is crucial for ensuring safety and accuracy as NASA, private companies, and other space agencies embark on missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond.
On Earth, time is measured using atomic clocks at various locations around the planet. Similarly, a network of atomic clocks on the moon may be employed for timekeeping purposes to account for the variations in time between Earth and the moon. This approach will be essential for maintaining synchronized operations across different celestial bodies.
In the realm of space exploration, different timekeeping methods are utilized by space agencies. For instance, astronauts aboard the International Space Station follow Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), while NASA employs “Spacecraft Event Time” for cataloging mission events on spacecraft outside Earth’s orbit. Implementing LTC on the moon will involve consultation among subject matter experts from the international community to provide recommendations to the International Astronomical Union for establishing a lunar reference frame and time system.
NASA’s Artemis program is set to send humans back to the moon by September 2026, just before the deadline to establish LTC. China and India have also announced plans for crewed lunar missions in the coming years. As nations around the world engage in lunar exploration, setting standard time zones and reference frames will be essential for coordination and safety in space.