Space organizations from around the world are collaborating on an effort to establish a common lunar reference time for use in the coming era of lunar exploration. The current system, which relies on different time zones for each organization, is not sustainable for missions that may need to communicate with each other even if they are not working together.
The group is discussing if there should be a single organization responsible for maintaining the lunar time zone and whether or not it should be synchronized with Earth’s. Challenges include establishing a working time system for the moon, which has longer days and nights than Earth. ESA is working with NASA and other international partners to develop a shared clock system that will allow lunar missions to coordinate and self-navigate.
