Did you know that time moves (ever so slightly) faster on the moon? With less gravity than the Earth, the moon’s time runs 0.0000575 seconds faster per day (57.50 µs/d) than it does on Earth. Amid global interest in space research 55 years after humans first set foot on the lunar surface, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have unveiled a plan for precise timekeeping on the moon.
Work will help lay the foundation for adopting a navigation and timing system, similar to how GPS works.
NIST reports that the proposed system would be “the first step in the development of a lunar positioning system to include a highly precise network of clocks at specific locations on the Moon’s surface and in lunar orbits.” Such precise atomic clocks in lunar orbit would function as the “satellites” of the lunar GPS network, and they would provide accurate timing signals for navigation.
Work will support NASA’s Artemis program, an initiative that aims to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon.
The news follows a directive from the White House to NASA to establish a unified standard of time for the moon and other celestial bodies. To reach this goal, the space agency is set to work with other U.S. government agencies to devise a plan by the end of 2026 for setting a Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC).
With heightened efforts in space exploration, ANSI is proud to share that its members support standardization efforts that strengthen spacecraft safety. Efforts include the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)'s Technical Committee (TC) 20, Aircraft and Space Vehicles, for which ANSI holds the secretariat. ANSI is the U.S. member body to ISO. SAE International serves as the administrator to the ANSI-accredited U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for ISO TC 20.
Various ANSI accredited standards developing organizations are involved in the development of standards: ASTM International, through ASTM Committee F47, Commercial Spaceflight, develops standards that continue to play a preeminent role in all aspects of aerospace personnel education, training, qualifications, and certifications. In addition to its other standardization work for space, SAE International announced this year the first International Aerospace (IA) standard: IA9137, Guidance for the Application of AQAP 2110 within a 9100 Quality Management System.
See a more comprehensive list of other developers of aerospace standards on ANSI.org.