To the moon: McClellan introduces legislation to standardize celestial time

Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, who represents Virginia’s District 4, introduced H.R. 8837, the Celestial Time Standardization Act, last week.

The legislation is the first piece of federal legislation directing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to establish a time standard for the Moon and other celestial bodies.

United States leadership of a sustained presence on the Moon and in deep space is essential for advancing science, exploration, commercial growth and international partnership. Advanced space exploration will require careful coordination between NASA, the private sector, and collaborators around the world.

While we standardize and synchronize timing on Earth using Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the Moon and other celestial bodies need their own timing standard due to differences in gravity and other factors. For someone on the Moon, UTC appears to lag about 58 microseconds each day. The discrepancy can present significant challenges for precision navigation, space situational awareness, scientific research and other operations.

“We are entering a new era of United States space exploration and have an exciting opportunity to lead on standards that drive global competitiveness. As we pursue increasingly complex activities on the Moon and beyond, the need for a celestial time standard will only continue to grow,” McClellan said. “As a member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I am thrilled to introduce this first-of-its-kind legislation to establish celestial time standardization. This will enhance our ability to explore and expand our knowledge of the known universe.”

The Celestial Time Standardization Act would improve interoperability in space exploration and further establish U.S. leadership on the international stage. This bill directs NASA to:

• Lead the development of celestial time standardization, including the study, definition, and implementation of a coordinated lunar time.
• Coordinate with the Departments of Commerce, Defense, State, and Transportation and consult with private sector, academic, and international standards-setting bodies.
• Submit a report to Congress within two years of enactment describing a strategy for celestial time standardization.