In first, US directs NASA to create lunar time standard

The White House announced Tuesday it is directing NASA to create a unified time standard for the Moon and other celestial bodies, as governments and private companies increasingly compete in space. HT Image With the United States keen to set international norms beyond Earth's orbit, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy instructed the US space agency to formulate a plan by the end of 2026 for a standard it is calling Coordinated Lunar Time. "As NASA, private companies, and space agencies around the world launch missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, it's important that we establish celestial time standards for safety and accuracy," OSTP Deputy Director for National Security Steve Welby said in a statement. The aim, the White House says, is for Coordinate Lunar Time, or LTC, to be tied to Coordinated Universal Time, currently the primary time standard used throughout the world to regulate time on Earth.