NASA spearheads the creation of Coordinated Lunar Time for the Moon

In a ground-breaking initiative set to revolutionize space exploration, NASA is leading the efforts to establish a lunar-specific time standard, Coordinated Lunar Time, aimed at facilitating manned missions and the anticipated lunar economy.
The United States government, through its space agency NASA, is endeavoring to establish a new time standard specifically for the Moon, termed as Coordinated Lunar Time (CLT). This initiative, set to be implemented by 2026, is propelled by the distinct gravitational forces between the Earth and the Moon, affecting how time is experienced differently on each celestial body. With an atomic clock on the Moon expected to tick faster than its Earth counterpart, timekeeping discrepancies amount to an estimated loss of 58.7 microseconds per Earth day.
This move towards creating a lunar-specific time zone is underscored by the practical necessity for precise coordination during manned missions and for the integration of data and communication systems between spacecraft, satellites, and Earth. Kevin Coggins, a communication and navigation official at NASA, articulated the rationale for this initiative, emphasizing the significance of having a “heartbeat” or time standard for celestial bodies like the Moon or Mars to facilitate space exploration and activities.
The effort comes in anticipation of the Artemis program, through which NASA aims to launch crewed missions to the Moon and eventually establish a permanent human presence there by the end of the decade. The European Space Agency (ESA) is also involved in developing a new time system for lunar activities and stresses the importance of an international consensus on the matter.
The burgeoning interest in lunar exploration and the potential for a lunar economy, projected by ESA to be worth £120 billion by 2040, further underscores the importance of establishing Coordinated Lunar Time. Nations such as China and India have their eyes set on the Moon, alongside private enterprises like SpaceX and Astrolab, indicating a broad and burgeoning interest in lunar exploration and usage that spans both national and corporate initiatives. The establishment of a unified time standard like CLT will be crucial in harmonizing the myriad planned activities on the lunar surface, laying the groundwork for what many see as the next frontier in human exploration and economic opportunity.