The US government is determined to establish a new time zone called Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) for the Moon, with implementation set for 2026. The goal is to create extraterrestrial time standards that will ensure safety and accuracy as space exploration continues to expand.
According to Steve Walby, the White House Technology Authority’s OSTP, it is crucial for space agencies and private companies launching missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond to have standardized time measurements. LTC will be derived from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) currently used by the International Space Station.
As time passes slightly differently in space than on Earth, each Earth day on the Moon passes about 58.7 microseconds faster than on Earth. The creation of a time zone for the Moon aims to account for this difference and help with more accurate calculations in space exploration.
NASA has been tasked with making LTC a reality by 2026, with other organizations such as the European Space Agency (ESA) also working on similar systems for extraterrestrial time standards. The US wants to remain a pioneer in space travel by implementing LTC and establishing itself as a leader in the field of extraterrestrial timekeeping.
