Ticking toward a Coordinated Lunar Time: Addressing the Legal and Policy Hurdles
A visual depiction of the Coordinated Lunar Time concept as generated by DALL·E
“Spacetime tells matter how to move; matter tells spacetime how to curve”
Last week, the White House directed NASA to develop a strategy for the implementation of a standardized time zone for the Moon, known as the Coordinated Lunar Time (“LTC”), by the end of 2026. This initiative follows a similar announcement by the European Space Agency last year, highlighting the growing international recognition of the need for a unified timekeeping system for the lunar region.
As humanity’s lunar activities continue to expand, the establishment of an independent time standard for the Moon could become crucial for ensuring efficient coordination and communication around the lunar environment. However, the implementation of the LTC will likely need to address several legal and policy challenges. In this post, I explore these aspects related to the establishment of a standardized independent lunar time, an intriguing Outer Space topic that I have had not previously considered in depth.
Challenges with Current Lunar Timekeeping Methods
In the absence of an international time standard for the Moon, lunar missions currently rely on the time system chosen by each mission's operator. Most countries use their own local time as the reference, while some opt for the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
But, as humanity’s presence on the Moon continues to grow, the need for a standardized independent lunar timekeeping system is becoming increasingly apparent. Without a unified standard for time, coordination and communication among various entities, equipment, and facilities on and around the Moon could become challenging. This could potentially lead to accidents and damages.
Moreover, relying on Earth-based time systems on the Moon presents several challenges. While the lunar orbital period and rotation are the same due to the Moon being tidally locked to Earth, the Moon rotates much slower than Earth. A lunar day, the time it takes for the Moon to complete one rotation on its axis, lasts approximately 29.93 Earth days. (Note: this is about 2.2 Earth days longer than a lunar sidereal day, which is the time it takes for the Moon to complete one rotation relative to the stars. Here, the difference is caused by Earth’s simultaneous rotation around the Sun while the Moon orbits around Earth). This significant difference in the length of a day renders the traditional Earth-based timekeeping system of hours, minutes, and seconds impractical for direct implementation on the Moon.
Additionally, due to the Moon's lower gravity and relativistic effects, time on the Moon moves about 58.7 microseconds faster per Earth day. Although this difference may seem negligible, it can have a significant impact on high-tech satellite and communications systems.
These disparities make it challenging to use Earth-based time systems effectively on the Moon. As lunar activities increase, the constant need for different entities to convert between Earth time and the local time at their lunar sites could lead to errors and inefficiencies. Consequently, establishing a common time reference point for all lunar activities could enhance cooperation and minimize the risk of accidents.
Legal Implications
But the implementation of a Coordinated Lunar Time by a single nation could raise several legal questions, particularly related to (1) the non-appropriation principle and (2) liability and responsibility.
Non-Appropriation Principle
One of the primary legal issues surrounding LTC’s implementation revolves around jurisdiction and sovereignty. Article II of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, the bedrock foundation of Outer Space law, states that Outer Space, including the Moon, is not subject to national appropriation. This means that no entity can claim sovereignty or ownership over the Moon or any related aspect of it.
But, the creation and use of a Coordinated Lunar Time by a single entity or a selective group of entities could potentially be interpreted as a means of control over a key lunar aspect. Without global participation, this could potentially conflict with the non-appropriation principle of the Outer Space Treaty, leading to questions about whether the entity controlling this timekeeping system has the proper authority to implement such a system.
Liability and Responsibility
Additionally, under Article VI of the Outer Space Treaty, each country is responsible for its national activities in Outer Space. This is further clarified in the Liability Convention of 1972, which holds each country liable for any damages caused by its Outer Space activities. Therefore, if a standardized lunar time zone is implemented, there would be legal questions related to who should be responsible and liable for its maintenance and administration.
If an error in the Coordinated Lunar Time leads to damage or harm to a lunar mission or satellite, it could raise concerns about liability. For instance, if an incorrect timing mechanism leads to inaccurate trajectory calculations, resulting in a collision in the lunar region, could the nation operating such a space mission shift the blame to the organization in charge of the Coordinated Lunar Time as the ultimate cause of the incident? Or is that organization too far removed from the chain of causation to be held responsible? This situation could lead to incidents where each entity is passing the buck to the other, potentially leaving the injured party without a clear path to seek remedy or compensation.
Policy Implications
Establishing a Coordinated Lunar Time could also have significant policy implications. While the White House memo notes that “NASA … will establish the approach to LTC as the international standard through existing standards bodies, and among the Artemis Accords signatories,” NASA will likely still face challenges in achieving international consensus on the adoption and implementation of such a system.
Some major spacefaring nations, such as Russia and China, are not members to the Artemis Accords—and are actually part of a competing lunar alliance. Furthermore, with numerous new private enterprises getting involved with lunar activities, finding common ground could be difficult. Thus, major coordination and consensus-building activities among various organizations and governmental entities will likely be necessary to ensure the proper technical standards and protocols are in place for the adoption of a Coordinated Lunar Time.
Once the LTC becomes widely adopted, a transition period will also be necessary to minimize the impact on existing lunar missions and hardware. Adopting the new timekeeping system will require many countries and organizations to update and patch any existing hardware and software they are operating in or near the lunar environment. These modifications can be challenging given the distance but will likely be essential, considering that many such equipment were originally planned for long-durational missions because of the enormous cost required to reach the lunar region. Therefore, the implementation plan for the LTC must include a built-in transition strategy to ensure that any active lunar missions and equipment on existing timekeeping systems can still coordinate and interoperate with systems on the new LTC standard.
Navigating the Legal and Policy Challenges
Given the potential legal and policy challenges that might arise with the implementation of the Coordinated Lunar Time, I have several recommendations that could help facilitate its creation and adoption.
Collaborative Brainstorming Sessions
Rather than coming up with a proposal on its own, NASA should work with the international community to discuss and brainstorm the legal and technical aspects of a standardized independent lunar timekeeping system. Instead of relying solely on Artemis Accords members, NASA should develop the LTC through conferences hosted by more global international organizations, such as the United Nations’ Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).
While nation-states would be the primary participants in these conferences, representatives from private commercial enterprises and non-governmental organizations with significant lunar activities (such as Blue Origin, For All Moonkind, Intuitive Machines, iSpace, Moon Village Association, SpaceX and others) could be involved as observers. This approach ensures that the LTC is developed with wide -ranging expertise and that its future passage can be better secured through collaborative buy-in during its creation.
Protocols and Technical Standards
Once the brainstorming sessions have led to a basic framework that has garnered general consensus, a smaller international working group should be convened to draft a set of international protocols and technical standards that will establish the mechanisms for the adoption and administration of the Coordinated Lunar Time. These documents should address legal issues such as jurisdiction, control, responsibility, and liability. This would help to set rules of the roads for the resolution of any accidents that are caused by the new timekeeping system.
Because of the harsh lunar terrain and Outer Space environment, these documents should also consider technical aspects such as the development of a robust timekeeping infrastructure that can withstand the Moon’s extreme temperatures and lack of a protective atmosphere, factors that timekeeping references on Earth do not have to consider. Thus, these documents should also lay the foundation for operational processes related to the LTC, such as the placement locations for the atomic clocks needed to calculate an accurate LTC, much like how UTC on Earth is determined.
Responsible Governing Body
Much like the administration of the UTC, the Coordinated Lunar Time will also require an international governing body to be responsible for such timekeeping system’s implementation and maintenance. This body should have representation from all participating nations and be responsible for maintaining an accurate measure of LTC time.
Instead of creating a new organization, the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) could be the ideal candidate to become the official governing organization for the LTC. As a non-governmental organization with a broad level of international support, the BIPM already has expertise in timekeeping measures through its administration of the UTC. Thus, the BIPM can build on its existing knowledge and create a pragmatic system for the Coordinated Lunar Time’s implementation and maintenance.
Transition Planning
To gain widespread acceptance, the implementation of the Coordinated Lunar Time will require a clear timeline that includes a sufficient transition period, enabling all entities with active lunar activities to properly switch over to the new coordinated time. To put this into perspective, the United States was only able to implement its current time zone system in 1883 after years of preparatory work and planning. Even then, it still took until 1918 for the Federal government to officially adopt a “standard time” and another almost 50 years to officially abolish local time via the Uniform Time Act of 1966.
Thus, officially implementing a standard time for the Moon, which is about 240,000 miles away from Earth, will likely be no less challenging. Therefore, in order to accelerate the implementation process, a detailed transition plan that takes into account the needs and constraints of existing lunar missions and equipment will likely be needed to gain the broad level of international acceptance required to implement this system.
Public Awareness Campaign
For the Coordinated Lunar Time to truly take off, a public outreach and education campaign will also be necessary. This will help to raise awareness about the importance and necessity of establishing such a standard independent timekeeping system. By highlighting the benefits that such a system will have on lunar exploration and development, the Coordinated Lunar Time is more likely to gain the global attention needed for its successful implementation.
The Necessity of an Independent Lunar Timekeeping Standard
As humanity continues to expand its activities on and near the Moon, the adoption of a standardized time system that is localized to the lunar environment will undoubtedly facilitate greater cooperation and coordination among the various entities operating in this area. Thus, the establishment of a Coordinated Lunar Time is an important step forward in the ongoing exploration and development of the lunar environment.
While there are significant legal and policy challenges that need to be addressed, the benefits of establishing a standardized independent lunar timekeeping system that isn’t impacted by Earth-based relativistic effects will be well worth the effort. By working together with the international community to find common ground and to develop a clear framework for adoption, NASA could bring the Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) into reality and help to facilitate a new era of lunar cooperation and discovery.
Resources
White House Memo on Coordinated Lunar Time: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Celestial-Time-Standardization-Policy.pdf
A background on the implementation of time zones in the United States: https://www.npr.org/transcripts/730727038
International Treaties on Outer Space: https://alexsli.com/thespacebar/2017/11/26/the-five-core-un-treaties-related-to-outer-space
An exploration into relativity and effects on the spacetime continuum: https://alexsli.com/thespacebar/2022/4/18/fermi-paradox-through-the-lens-of-relativity
