WASHINGTON: The White House has issued directives to NASA to establish a unified standard of time for the moon, as the US aims to set global norms in space amid an increasing lunar race among countries and private firms.
Reuters reported that the head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy directed the space agency to work with other organizations of the US government to develop a plan by the end of 2026 for setting what they called a Coordinated Lunar Time.
White House Orders NASA to Develop Time Standard for Moon
Kevin Coggins, NASA’s space communications and navigation chief said in a statement that the clock that they have on Earth would move at a different rate on the surface of moon.
Under its Artemis program, the US space agency is aiming to send astronaut missions to the moon in upcoming years and set up a scientific lunar base that could assist set the stage for next missions to Mars. Dozens of firms, spacecraft and nations are involved in the effort.
An OSTP official stated that without an integrated lunar time standard it would be very challenging and tough to ensure that data transfers between spacecraft are safe and that contacts between lunar satellites, Earth, bases and astronauts are synchronized.
