NASA wants to send manned missions to the Moon again with the Artemis program. It is even planned that astronauts will spend several months on Earth’s natural satellite. Since there will be lunar settlements, the American space agency has begun developing a new time system for the Moon.
The White House released a policy memo in April calling on NASA to work on a time zone for the Moon. Specifically, they asked officials to work closely with the Departments of Commerce, Defense, State, and Transportation. The agency has heard these requests and recently confirmed that it is working on it. In fact, they stressed that they would work with “U.S. government stakeholders, partners, and international standards organizations” to establish a Coordinated Lunar Time.
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What time is it?
We’re working with US and international partners to establish a coordinated time on the Moon. It’ll be determined in a similar way to how scientists calculate Earth’s Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). https://t.co/SiSHYrWxen https://t.co/t5BiITIPbN
September 16, 2024 • 16:04
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Why do we need a lunar time zone?
Time on the Moon is not the same as time on Earth. As Albert Einstein pointed out in his Theory of Relativity, time changes in relation to speed and gravity. On our only natural satellite, the hands of the clock should move slightly faster.
According to estimates, an Earth clock would gain about 56 microseconds per day on the Moon. While this may seem insignificant, it is enough time to throw future manned missions to the Moon off kilter. NASA wants astronauts to spend several months on the Moon, so a miscalculation could be catastrophic at times when high precision is required.
Cheryl Graming, NASA’s standards and timing lead, explains with comparisons in the agency’s press release: “For something traveling at the speed of light, 56 microseconds is enough time to travel the distance of about 168 football fields.” So the calculations on Earth could be way off and not really useful.
The time standard on the Moon will be set by a weighted average of the Moon’s atomic clocks. This weighted average is quite similar to the one scientists use to calculate Coordinated Universal Time on planet Earth. However, NASA explains that the reference locations are still up for debate.
When will we have a proper schedule for the Moon?
The White House memo in April called for NASA to begin working toward a Coordinated Lunar Time by the end of 2026. That is, the idea is for the U.S. space agency to have everything set up by two years from now, roughly in time for the first crewed Artemis flight to the lunar surface. Artemis III is currently scheduled for September 2026. The mission will likely be delayed, so we may end up with a lunar time zone before a human walks on the moon again.
NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) will lead the effort to create a dedicated time zone for the moon. SCaN serves as the headquarters for NASA’s space communications and navigation operations. According to the agency, more than 100 U.S. and international space missions rely on SCaN’s two networks: the Near Space Network and the Deep Space Network. Its role is critical for astronauts on the International Space Station and is expected to be critical for future Artemis missions as well.
It should be noted that NASA will not only be working with the US state departments of Commerce, Defense, State and Transportation. They will also have to come to an agreement with international parties interested in Artemis, including Spain. Currently, there are 43 countries committed to the Artemis Accords, which establish certain standards that are expected to be respected in space. At the moment, the territories that have refused to join this pact are China and Russia.
