Because time passes differently on the Moon than on Earth, the White House has instructed several agencies to come up with a Lunar Time, that takes all circumstances into account, to be adopted by all those visiting the Moon.
We’re all familiar with time zones, especially when travelling, but not all of us know that time goes by quicker on top of a mountain than at sea-level or even below. Hundreds of atomic clocks are therefore scattered around different places on Earth in order to take this into account. But not much has been done so far about the difference between time on Earth and on the Moon. Due to the difference in gravity on the Moon compared to the Earth, time passes a little quicker on our natural satellite – 58.7 microseconds every day to be precise. Moreover, a day on the Moon lasts 29.5 Earth days.
What time is it on the Moon? 🕰️
— NASA Space Communications and Navigation (@NASASCaN) April 5, 2024
It's harder to answer than you think. Due to relativity, time moves slightly faster at the Moon than on Earth. To create a standard for @NASA astronauts and other explorers, we’re establishing a new lunar time scale, Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC). pic.twitter.com/ljXAslh5ny
“An atomic clock on the Moon will tick at a different rate than a clock on Earth,” explained Kevin Coggins, Manager of NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation Program. “It makes sense that when you go to another body, like the Moon or Mars that each one gets its own heartbeat.”
In a communication shared by the White House on 2 April, the Biden-Harris Administration expressed its willingness to establish time standards at and around celestial bodies other than Earth and the reasons why it is so important to develop such a system. NASA, with support from partnering departments and agencies, is asked to implement the lunar timing standardisation no later than 31 December 2026.
🌖 The White House directed NASA to establish a unified standard of time for the moon and other celestial bodies, as the United States aims to set international norms in space amid a growing lunar race among nations and private companies https://t.co/bzD5juYQKt pic.twitter.com/KJ07oEuKiF
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 3, 2024
“Exploration of Cislunar space opens a new sphere of human activity and offers opportunities to advance scientific understanding, exploration, and economic growth. With a shared vision and unity of purpose across departments and agencies, the United States will lead the responsible, peaceful, and sustainable exploration of Cislunar space and application of discoveries in this area. OSTP will lead and support the implementation of this policy and guidance. We are grateful to those across the community who have contributed to date, and to those who continue to share their valuable knowledge to shape our collective understanding of this topic as we move forward”, reads the memo.
According to the memo, both the United States and multiple other actors will send humans to the Moon and the Cislunar space. At the moment, NASA aims to send astronauts around the moon in September 2025 and to the Moon surface one year later. In order for those undertakings to go smoothly, having a standardised lunar time is essential. The Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) should, once established, replace the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on and around the Moon.
