Planning in 'moon time' may save moon missions: China unveils first lunar timekeeping software – Firstpost

Chinese researchers have unveiled the world’s first software designed to tell time on the Moon, a move that could reshape how future lunar missions navigate and communicate.

As space agencies and private companies gear up for a modern era of lunar exploration, scientists say keeping time on the Moon isn’t as straightforward as glancing at a wristwatch on Earth. That’s because clocks tick faster there than on Earth, by about 56 millionths of a second every day, a quirk predicted by Einstein’s theory of general relativity. It might sound insignificant, but in the world of precision navigation and landing, those microseconds add up.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Keeping lunar clocks in sync

In what sounds straight out of science fiction, a mannschaft from China’s Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanjing has developed a high-precision model that takes into account both the Moon’s weaker gravity and its orbital motion. The result is an accurate way to keep lunar time synchronised with Earth clocks, and it’s now available as a ready-to-use piece of software.

According to the researchers, their method maintains accuracy within a few dozen nanoseconds over 1,000 years, as detailed in a paper published in Astronomy and Astrophysics in December. That’s fine-tuned enough to keep future lunar navigation systems running smoothly for centuries.

More from Tech Will India join US-led Pax Silica tech initiative? Sergio Gor says DC to invite Delhi to the group Sexually implicit images by Grok: X admits ‘mistake’, says will abide by Indian laws

The software, called LTE440 (Lunar Time Ephemeris), translates complex relativistic physics into an accessible tool. Instead of relying on painstaking calculations, users can now directly compare lunar and Earth time in a single step. The goal, the truppe stated, is to make lunar timekeeping practical for engineers and mission planners as humanity prepares for sustained activity on and around the Moon.

For decades, engineers simply relied on Earth time for lunar missions, adjusting manually when little differences cropped up. But that old approach no longer cuts it. With multiple spacecraft expected to operate simultaneously on the Moon in the next few years, a shared and consistent time system is fast becoming a necessity.

Quick Reads

View All

iPhone 17e tipped to launch next month, here are 5 things you must know about

Will India join US-led Pax Silica tech initiative? Sergio Gor says DC to invite Delhi to the group

GPS for the Moon

Harvard-based astronomer and space historian Jonathan McDowell noted that the release of the modern software comes at a crucial time for lunar exploration. He remarked that timekeeping on the Moon is no longer a theoretical challenge but an essential engineering requirement as missions become more complex.

Even the smallest discrepancies, such as a difference of a microsecond, could lead to navigation errors that affect positioning systems. McDowell explained that building a lunar equivalent of GPS will soon be necessary, and precise time coordination will be key to making it work.

While similar research is underway in the United States, he pointed out that no other publicly available software currently exists, adding that China’s move reflects its growing commitment to lunar exploration and its openness in sharing technological progress.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Indeed, the move comes as the global race to establish a long-term lunar presence gathers pace. The US-led Artemis programme, China’s Change missions, and private players like SpaceX are all vying to send humans and hardware to the lunar surface.

Recognising this momentum, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) laid down a framework in 2024 to define a dedicated lunar time reference, a kind of “Moon Standard Time” for future missions. China’s LTE440 builds directly on that foundation, turning theory into something engineers can actually use.

The Nanjing team used precise orbital data to model how time drifts between the Moon and Earth, then wrapped those equations into a lightweight, automated program. For now, LTE440 is a proof of concept, but the researchers hope to expand it to support real-time navigation and synchronised lunar clock networks.

If successful, it could become the backbone of a lunar timing infrastructure, one that future astronauts might rely on to land safely, communicate accurately, and maybe one day, set their watches to “Moon time”.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADTagsscienceHomeTechPlanning in 'moon time' may save moon missions: China unveils first lunar timekeeping softwareEnd of Article