Scientists believe that watches should be sent to the moon as soon as possible

The space race has revived an old challenge: Accurate time tracking. the a potIn cooperation with its international partners, it is working to develop a new timetable for moonnecessary for the future Missions Of permanent settlements. The urgent need intensified with the competition between United State With his allies and China.

These efforts are led by Cheryl Gramlingand strive to overcome the time discrepancies caused by General relativity And apply prior knowledge of atomic clocks used in… GPS satellites. International cooperation and implementation of networks such as Luna Net They are the key to the success of the project.

According to recent reports, a potIn cooperation with its international partners, It creates a new time scale for the MoonIt is essential for future missions to permanent settlements on the Moon. The urgent need to create this system has intensified with the new space race in which the United States and its allies, as well as China, are participating.

A day on the Moon is about 56 microseconds shorter than a day on Earth. Although this seems insignificant, these discrepancies can lead to significant discrepancies over time. “Astronauts on the moon will need to navigate and communicate using a time scale related to the moon,” he explained. Cheryl Gramlingthe leader of lunar position, navigation and timing in Goddard Space Flight Center From NASA in Maryland.

Furthermore it, US government NASA has given until December 31 to develop a plan for this new time frame, with the aim of implementing the system before the end of 2026, coinciding with the return of astronauts to the moon after five decades.

The importance of this task is evident in the unique challenges posed by general relativity, the theory proposed by Albert Einstein It explains how gravity affects space and time. “One effect of general relativity is that gravity slows down time.”He pointed out Bruce Bates From the Planetary Society.

Scientists’ previous experience with atomic clocks on GPS satellites will be crucial to this new challenge. These clocks, which orbit at an altitude of about 20,200 kilometers, have enabled precise adjustments to time measurement on Earth, and scientists hope to apply similar insights to the Moon.

Creating an accurate lunar time scale is not just a scientific endeavor, it has practical implications as well. “Time is a critical enabler of everything: economics, food security, trade, the financial community, even oil exploration,” he said. Kevin Cogginsfrom NASA. Precise time tracking will allow astronauts to coordinate activities, communicate, and conduct research accurately.

Clocks on the Moon, which can be placed on satellites or at key points, must be extremely accurate. An atomic clock for space can cost several million dollars, but the investment is necessary for navigation and synchronization in the lunar environment.

A key part of this effort is international collaboration. NASA has already had promising conversations with its American partners, and is working with agencies like the European Space Agency to develop standards through international standards bodies like the International Astronomical Union.

to implement Luna NetThe lunar network, which combines internet standards with global navigation satellite systems, represents another dimension of the project. “LunaNet is a set of standards that will be followed by contributors, such as NASA or the European Space Agency,” Gramling explains.

The task of creating a new time scale is not limited to the Moon. The knowledge gained will be used in future missions to Mars and other interplanetary expeditions. “We are conducting this on the Moon to learn and prepare to do the same on Mars or other celestial bodies in the future,” Gramling concluded.