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Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What time is it on the moon? US House space committee wants a standard lunar clock
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. We are one step closer to getting a lunar time zone this week, as a bill passed out of the US House Science, Space and Technology committee directs the administrator of NASA to develop a way to coordinate and measure time on the moon. The bill is titled The Celestial Time Standardization Act (or HR 2313), and was passed out of committee by a voice vote on Tuesday (April 29). It now goes to the full House for a future floor vote. If it passes the House (and then the U.S. Senate), it would go to President Trump's desk, where it would be signed into law. The bill will "require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to develop celestial time standardization to support future operations and infrastructure on and around the Moon and other celestial bodies other than Earth, and for other purposes." Specifically, the bill directs "The Administrator of NASA, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, shall carry out the following: (1) Enable the development of celestial time standardization, including by leading the study and definition of a coordinated lunar time. (2) Develop a strategy to implement a coordinated lunar time that would support future operations and infrastructure on and around the Moon." The bill further requires that NASA work with relevant public, private and academic institutions, international partners, and international standard-setting bodies to develop the new time system, with a few key requirements as guidance. First, the new Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) needs to be translatable into Coordinated Universal Time (UTC); it needs to be accurate enough for precision space navigation and communication; it needs to function uninterrupted during periods of loss of contact with Earth; and finally, the new time system needs to be scalable so that similar time systems can be established for other celestial bodies beyond the moon, especially Mars. The issue of a dedicated time zone on the moon hasn't been given much attention in the past, as NASA and other agencies have previously used "mission elapsed time" and other timekeeping means to coordinate navigation and communication in cislunar space. However, as NASA and other space agencies have set their sights on new moon missions and establishing a permanent lunar presence, a common timekeeping system may be a good idea. One major reason scientists can't simply use Earth time on the moon has to do with Albert Einstein's general relativity theory, which shows that gravity, mass and the passage of time are inextricably linked. All of our Earth clocks are therefore effectively set to Earth's gravity, while clocks on the moon would need to be set according to the much lower mass and gravity of the moon. Time on the moon passes about 58.7 microseconds faster than on Earth, and when you're dealing with the kind of precision required for distant communication and navigation between the lunar surface and our planet, that difference (only about 58.7 millionths of a second) can cause real world problems. With NASA facing some hefty proposed cuts to its funding this year and beyond, the unanimous voice vote to pass HR 2313 out of committee is encouraging for the future of NASA's Artemis mission, which aims to return humans to the moon in the next few years and ultimately establish a permanent base of the lunar surface. LTC would be necessary for any permanent operations on the lunar surface and in orbit around the moon. This bipartisan support for Artemis was further demonstrated during the nomination hearing for Jared Isaacman, President Trump's pick to lead NASA, where both Republican and Democratic senators pressed Isaacman on his commitment to the program amid fears that he would prioritize Mars over returning to the moon. Related Stories: — Experts alarmed as White House proposes 'largest single-year cut to NASA in American history' — Watch Intuitive Machines land private Athena probe at the lunar south pole — Reshaping our return to the moon: Trump's 2026 budget gives Artemis a major facelift "We will prioritize sending American astronauts to Mars and along the way we will inevitably have the capabilities to return to the moon," Isaacman told the committee, adding later in his testimony that "We don't have to make a binary decision of moon versus Mars, or moon has to come first versus Mars." Isaacman's nomination also passed out of the Senate committee this week, with both Committee Chairman Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ranking Member Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) supporting his nomination on the condition that Isaacman continue to pursue Artemis' program objectives. "Mr. Isaacman seems to be committed to the current plan for both lander redundancies, Space Launch Systems, and returning to the Moon as fast as possible," Cantwell said.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
US orders NASA to build first lunar time zone to guide astronauts on the Moon
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Ever wondered what time it is on the Moon right now? That question may soon have an official answer, as the U.S. takes a major step toward creating a lunar time zone. On April 29, the U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee approved the Celestial Time Standardization Act (HR 2313), a bill that directs NASA to lead efforts to develop a consistent and precise lunar time system. Passed by voice vote, the bill now heads to the full House for further consideration before potentially becoming law. If enacted, the bill would require NASA to establish a Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) system that aligns with Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on Earth but accounts for the unique gravitational and environmental conditions on the Moon. With the Artemis program pushing toward a permanent lunar presence, such a standard is no longer a sci-fi fantasy but an operational necessity. Lunar time must reflect gravity Unlike Earth, the Moon's gravity is much weaker, affecting how time passes on its surface. According to general relativity, time on the Moon moves about 58.7 microseconds faster per day than it does on Earth. While minuscule in everyday terms, this discrepancy matters greatly for space navigation and communication systems. 'For something traveling at the speed of light, 56 microseconds is enough time to travel the distance of approximately 168 football fields,' explained Cheryl Gramling, who leads NASA's efforts on lunar positioning and standards, in a NASA feature back in September 2024. 'If someone is orbiting the Moon, an observer on Earth who isn't compensating for the effects of relativity over a day would think that the orbiting astronaut is approximately 168 football fields away from where the astronaut really is.' Defining LTC The bill requires NASA to define and implement LTC in collaboration with international standards organizations, academic institutions, and private partners. Specifically, the time system must be compatible with UTC, accurate enough for high-precision space missions, functional even when contact with Earth is lost, and scalable for use on other celestial bodies like Mars. NASA confirmed that it is already working on this, following an April directive from the White House. The agency's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program is leading the charge. Lunar time will likely be calculated using a weighted average of atomic clocks placed on or around the Moon. Bipartisan support signals strong future for Artemis The bill's smooth passage in committee and bipartisan backing for Artemis reflect strong legislative momentum behind the push to establish long-term infrastructure on the Moon. During a recent Senate hearing, lawmakers from both parties emphasized the need for continued lunar investment. 'We don't have to make a binary decision of moon versus Mars, or moon has to come first versus Mars,' said NASA Administrator nominee Jared Isaacman, when pressed on his priorities. His nomination also passed out of the Senate committee, with Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. Maria Cantwell backing him based on his commitment to Artemis. 'Mr. Isaacman seems to be committed to the current plan for both lander redundancies, Space Launch Systems, and returning to the Moon as fast as possible,' Cantwell noted. Why lunar time matters more than ever Historically, lunar missions have relied on mission elapsed time rather than a standardized time zone. However, as NASA, international agencies, and commercial players prepare for a sustained presence on the Moon, synchronized timekeeping becomes critical for safety and coordination. With the Artemis program ramping up and the commercial space race accelerating, a unified lunar clock may soon tick in sync with humanity's next giant leap.
