Once again, the Moon illuminates the night sky seen from our planet. In recent times, there has been a resurgence of fascination with our lonely celestial companion. The Moon holds true intrigue, as beneath the surface, which has been traversed by just a dozen individuals, lie invaluable resources that extend beyond simple minerals. The time on the Moon has been debated by many scientists.
Therefore, in this article we are going to tell you the importance of time on the moon and why they are going to take it into account.
Visit to the Moon
The Moon has been the destination of five nations seeking their slice of the lunar pie: the United States, Russia, China, India and Japan, with Japan's most recent landing in January. These countries, together with the European Space Agency (ESA), have recently intensified their efforts to establish a lasting human presence on the Moon.
The concept revolves around the establishment of colonies in order to efficiently carry out the exploration and extraction of resources. The prospect of humans inhabiting the Moon will soon become a tangible reality for many people. But where exactly? According to Martin Barstow, professor of astrophysics and space science at the University of Leicester, significant activity is expected near the lunar poles. These regions are believed to contain ice reserves that They can be used to produce oxygen and extract water, as recently highlighted in an interview with The Sun.
The potential discovery of ice at the Moon's poles presents an opportunity to generate vital resources such as oxygen and water. Barstow suggests that these essential supplies could support a population of up to a hundred individuals on the Moon by the end of the century. This population would be made up of both researchers and businessmen, with the possibility of wealthy people visiting as tourists.
The time on the Moon
The transition from terrestrial UTC to lunar LTC involves a change from terrestrial timekeeping to lunar timekeeping. As humanity establishes a presence on the Moon, it becomes necessary for us to establish a system of organization. This includes not only spatial arrangements but also temporal considerations. Currently on Earth, our clocks and time zones are primarily synchronized with Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). This standard is supported by a vast network of atomic clocks located around the world, which together produce an accurate average measurement of time.
To establish a time frame of reference for the Moon, NASA has called it Lunar Time Coordinated (LTC). The deadline for NASA to establish LTC is the end of 2026.
To achieve this goal, the White House has asked all parties involved to reach consensus. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has issued a memorandum to NASA, as well as other US and international organizations, to collaborate on the creation of this temporal reference system.
New trip to the Moon
In the year 2026, NASA will embark on a new mission to explore the Moon once again. In the near future, NASA is embarking on the Artemis program, which seeks to transport astronauts to the Moon and establish a research-focused lunar outpost that could serve as a springboard for future missions to Mars. This ambitious effort involves numerous companies, spacecraft and nations. NASA has set a target date September 2026 for its first manned lunar landing since the conclusion of the Apollo program in the 1970s.
According to The Guardian, Coordinated Lunar Time is not a conventional time zone found on Earth. Instead, it functions as a comprehensive timeframe designed specifically for spacecraft and lunar satellites that demand unparalleled precision in their operations.
What is the weather like on our satellite?
The perception of time on Earth is influenced by the disparity of gravitational force. Due to the lower gravity on the Moon, time passes a little faster compared to Earth. As indicated by the OSTP, An Earth clock would appear to slow down approximately 58,7 microseconds per Earth day when viewed from the Moon. Additionally, other recurring fluctuations contribute to the widening gap between lunar time and Earth time.
Kevin Coggins, NASA's head of space navigation and communications, explains that the clock we use on Earth would run at a varied rate if it were on the Moon. Coggins draws attention to atomic clocks, which serve as the heartbeat of the nation, ensuring synchronization. He points out that a lunar environment also needs a heartbeat, but one that operates at a different frequency than a terrestrial clock.
The absence of a cohesive lunar time standard presents challenges for maintaining the integrity of data exchanges between spacecraft, as well as coordinating communications between Earth, lunar satellites, bases, and astronauts. The White House office highlights that the inconsistencies in time could result in inaccuracies when mapping and determining locations on the Moon or in lunar orbit.
To ensure extreme precision for spacecraft and lunar satellites during their missions, it may be essential to place atomic clocks on the lunar surface. The Lunar Timing Center (LTC) would serve as a temporal reference point, among other functions, for these vehicles and satellites.
In collaboration, NASA and ESA are involved in the development of LunaNet, a revolutionary concept aimed at providing communication and navigation services on the Moon. This innovative initiative involves the establishment of an interoperable network, which can incorporate contributions from commercial entities and international partners. NASA and ESA have jointly developed multiple iterations of LunaNet. While the concept of a lunar time system standard is mentioned, There is currently no specific document that addresses this issue, as reported by Spacenews.
In addition, the United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) has announced its collaboration with NASA to create a positioning and navigation system for the Moon, whose completion is scheduled for 2023. This joint effort seeks to develop a high-precision system and security for lunar users, comparable to the functionality of GPS on Earth. However, no detailed information on establishing a lunar time standard was provided in the announcement.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about lunar time and its importance.