The US government is planning to introduce a new time zone called Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) in 2026. The White House has instructed NASA to create its own time zone on the Moon, called LTC, to establish extraterrestrial time standards for safety and accuracy during space flights. LTC would be based on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) followed by the International Space Station.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has also prepared a similar system for space time zones. By creating a time zone for the Moon, countries and companies aiming for space exploration can make more accurate calculations. The US aims to remain a pioneer in space travel by implementing LTC before its manned mission to the Moon in 2026.
Scottish Astronomer Royal Professor Catherine Heymans explains that gravity affects the passage of time differently in different places in the universe. In space, each day on the Moon is about 58.7 microseconds faster than on Earth. This means that time passes slightly differently in space than on Earth, making it important to have a standardized system of timekeeping for safety and accuracy during space flights.
Finland is currently three hours ahead of UTC in summer and two hours in winter, but this will change with the implementation of LTC on the Moon. News agencies like Reuters, Britannia, and the BBC, as well as Australian science magazine Cosmos, have reported on the US government’s plans for creating LTC. By creating a standardized system of timekeeping for space travel, countries and companies can make more accurate calculations and ensure safe and successful missions to other planets and celestial bodies beyond our own solar system.
In conclusion, the implementation of Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) marks a new era in space exploration and enables more precise calculations for future missions to the Moon and beyond our solar system. By establishing extraterrestrial time standards for safety and accuracy during space flights, NASA hopes to maintain its leadership role as a pioneer in space travel while ensuring safe and successful missions to other planets and celestial bodies beyond our own solar system.