NASA is developing a ‘lunar time standard’ for space exploration

Do you know what time it is on the Moon? The National Aeronautics and Space Administration confirmed it is figuring out the answer with a “lunar time standard.”

A White House memo from April directs NASA to create the Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) by 2026. In response, the agency confirmed it will work with “US government stakeholders, partners, and international standards organizations.”

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The LTC will also be essential for the US’s goal of further space exploration. Moreover, it will scale the project for developing standards for Mars and other heavenly bodies. 

Why is a lunar time standard necessary?

NASA says a lunar time standard will help astronauts adjust to how time changes on the Moon. Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity explains this issue.

It says that time changes depending on speed and gravity. Consequently, time moves slightly faster on the Moon due to its weaker gravity. 

An Earth clock on the planet’s celestial neighbor would gain around 56 microseconds daily. It may seem minuscule, but it’s enough to throw off calculations and jeopardize future space missions. 

“For something traveling at the speed of light, 56 microseconds is enough time to travel the distance of approximately 168 football fields,” said Cheryl Gramling, lead on lunar position, navigation, timing, and standards at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

The space agency says its Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program will lead the project. SCaN will develop the lunar standard time using a weighted average of atomic clocks on the moon. 

It’s similar to how scientists calculate the Earth’s globally-recognized Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). However, it is still figuring out which areas are ideal for clock installation.

Soon, NASA could develop a similar standard on the Red Planet and other celestial bodies for future exploration.