The White House has issued a directive to NASA on April 2, tasking the space agency with the establishment of a unified standard of time for the moon and other celestial bodies. This initiative comes as the United States aims to lead in setting international norms in space, amidst the increasing competition in lunar exploration among nations and private enterprises.
According to a memo from the head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), NASA is instructed to collaborate with other U.S. government entities to develop a plan for setting what is termed as Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) by the end of 2026. LTC aims to provide a standardized time-keeping system for lunar spacecraft and satellites, critical for missions requiring extreme precision.
Kevin Coggins, NASA’s space communications and navigation chief, highlighted the necessity of LTC, emphasizing that the gravitational forces and other factors on celestial bodies alter the perception of time compared to Earth. Atomic clocks, akin to those at the U.S. Naval Observatory, are envisioned to serve as the “heartbeat” of lunar time, synchronizing operations and communications.
Under its Artemis program, NASA plans to return astronauts to the moon and establish a scientific lunar base in preparation for future missions to Mars. The initiative involves numerous companies, spacecraft, and countries, emphasizing the need for a unified time standard to ensure secure data transfers and synchronized communications.
The establishment of LTC is crucial for preventing discrepancies in data transfers and communications, as well as errors in mapping and navigation around the moon. It is suggested that deployment of atomic clocks on the lunar surface may be necessary to achieve this unified time standard.
As commercial activities expand to the moon, a unified time standard becomes essential for coordinating operations and managing lunar commerce logistics. U.S. leadership in defining such a standard is seen as beneficial for all spacefaring nations, requiring international agreements through existing standards bodies and collaborative efforts among nations involved in lunar exploration.
While challenges lie ahead in implementing Coordinated Lunar Time, including the need for international agreements and cooperation, the initiative underscores the United States’ commitment to shaping the future of space exploration and setting standards for operations in the challenging lunar environment.
