The US Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has issued a memorandum from which it appears that it wants to introduce a time standard called “Coordinated Lunar Time” or LTC by the end of 2026 at the latest. It will facilitate the implementation of future missions not only to our natural satellite.
“As NASA, private companies and space agencies around the world launch missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond, it is important that we establish sky time standards for safety and accuracy,” stated Steve Welby z OSTP.
Do we really need it?
LTC will also be an elegant solution to various unusual situations that can theoretically arise in space. “Time flows differently in different parts of the universe—for example, time seems to flow more slowly where gravity is stronger, such as near celestial bodies—and as a result, the length of a second on Earth is different than to an observer under different gravitational conditions, such as just on the moon,” explained Welby.
How emphasizes server SpaceNews.com, these differences are actually very small (time on the lunar surface moves 58.7 microseconds per day faster than on our planet). On the other hand, perfect coordination of lunar missions requires an extremely high degree of precision.
Welby therefore believes that the new standard is “critical to successful space situational awareness, navigation and communication capabilities.” However, possible LTC values—as well as the limits of that time zone—are still up for debate.
2024-04-04 19:21:52
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