NASA has been instructed by the U.S. government to establish a separate time zone for the moon, known as Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC). This is necessary because time on the moon moves slower than on Earth, lagging behind by 58.7 microseconds each day due to the lower gravity. The difference in time could impact the precise maneuvers of lunar spacecraft and satellites, hence the need for a separate time zone.
Kevin Coggins, NASA’s space communications and navigation program manager, explained that LTC is being implemented in preparation for NASA’s upcoming missions to the moon, including sending humans into orbit around the moon in 2025 and onto its surface in 2026. These missions are crucial steps towards NASA’s ultimate goal of taking humans to Mars. With numerous countries and companies involved in new moon missions, having a standardized way to synchronize clocks is essential. Coggins compared the importance of this synchronization to the atomic clocks at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, which serve as the nation’s heartbeat, synchronizing everything on Earth. Just like on Earth, a “heartbeat” on the moon will be necessary for coordination during lunar missions.
