USA instructs NASA to develop universal time standards for the moon and other celestial bodies

According to SpaceNews on April 3rd, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has released a memorandum titled “Celestial Time Standardization Policy to Support the National Earth Moon Science and Technology Strategy,” directing NASA to develop a universal time standard for the Moon and other celestial bodies known as Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) by the end of 2026. This measure aims to establish a global standardized association with the universal time standard Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on Earth, ensuring the safety of data transmission between spacecraft and the synchronization of communication between satellites, bases, and astronauts in the Earth Moon space. This memorandum sets four main features: LTC traceability to UTC, ability to ensure precise positioning, navigation, and timing, autonomous recovery after loss of contact, and scalability of the Earth Moon space external environment.