Telling Time on Other Worlds
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In this episode of Houston We Have a Podcast, host Dane Turner explores the complex science of timekeeping beyond Earth with Kevin Coggins, NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for the Space Communication and Navigation (SCAN) program. The discussion reveals that time is not a universal constant but is deeply influenced by gravity, motion, and atomic oscillations. On Earth, coordinated universal time (UTC) is maintained through a network of atomic clocks and precise calculations involving star positions and gravitational effects. As NASA prepares for sustained human presence on the Moon and eventual missions to Mars, the need for a coordinated lunar time system becomes critical. Unlike Earth's 24-hour day, a lunar day lasts about 29.5 Earth days, and time passes slightly faster on the Moon due to weaker gravity. NASA is developing the Lunar Communications and Navigation Relay System (LCRNS) to establish a stable time and positioning framework on the Moon, using satellites and surface-based atomic clocks that must remain powered and temperature-stable. The episode highlights how even tiny timing errors—like a nanosecond—can result in massive positional inaccuracies, making precise timekeeping essential for astronaut safety, autonomous rovers, and coordinated missions. The challenges extend to Mars, where communication delays range from 4 to 44 minutes and time runs faster due to different gravity and orbital dynamics. The episode concludes with the vision of a future where the Moon and Mars have their own time standards, enabling a new era of exploration and infrastructure.
Time is not absolute—it's affected by gravity and motion, meaning clocks tick at different rates on Earth, the Moon, and Mars.
NASA is building the Lunar Communications and Navigation Relay System (LCRNS) to establish a coordinated lunar time and positioning system.
Atomic clocks on the Moon must remain powered and temperature-stable to maintain accuracy, as even nanosecond errors can lead to kilometer-scale positioning errors.
Precise timekeeping enables critical safety functions, such as guiding astronauts to shelter during solar flares.
Coordinated time on the Moon will allow multiple rovers, landers, and habitats to operate in sync, enabling autonomous and cooperative exploration.
…and 2 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Nature of Time in Space
“Time is just a measurement we create off of those vibrations. So you could argue that time is just something we created, that we need to be predictable and stable.”
Earth's Timekeeping: From Clocks to Coordinates
The episode dives into how Earth maintains coordinated universal time (UTC) using atomic clocks, star observations, and leap seconds. It explains the complexity of syncing clocks across different altitudes and gravitational fields.
The Moon's Time Challenge
“We can't continue to use mission elapsed time at all. Right. And that kind of mirrors our operations on the ISS, right? The ISS, while being kind of a singular focus, is being focused on by so many different people that we need that one coordinated universal time to work to.”
Building the Lunar Time Infrastructure
“We're going to have clocks on the surface that are equipped to survive the night. And because clocks, by the way, they like stability. They like stable temperature. So they like to be turned on and they like to warm up and they like to stay warm.”
Why Precise Time Matters for Safety and Science
“You're going to need the most expedient route. You're going to navigate back probably visually. You'll probably see where you parked the rover. You're going to get back, get in that rover, turn around. You're going to have to drive that rover precisely without hitting an obstacle.”
“Time is just a measurement we create off of those vibrations. So you could argue that time is just something we created, that we need to be predictable and stable.”
“We can't continue to use mission elapsed time at all. Right. And that kind of mirrors our operations on the ISS, right? The ISS, while being kind of a singular focus, is being focused on by so many different people that we need that one coordinated universal time to work to.”
“You're going to need the most expedient route. You're going to navigate back probably visually. You'll probably see where you parked the rover. You're going to get back, get in that rover, turn around. You're going to have to drive that rover precisely without hitting an obstacle.”
Host
Guest
Moon
other
Earth
other
Kevin Coggins
person
Mars
other
Space Communication and Navigation (SCAN)
organization
Atomic Clocks
other
NASA Johnson Space Center
organization
Lunar Communications and Navigation Relay System (LCRNS)
other
International Space Station (ISS)
other
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
other
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