Episode•April 24, 2026•46 min
Telling Time on Other Worlds
Kevin Coggins, a leader in NASA Space Communications and Navigation program, explores the benefits and challenges of precision timekeeping on the Moon and Mars. HWHAP 419
Key Takeaways
- 1
Time is a physical construct tied to gravity
Atomic clocks rely on atomic oscillations, which are affected by gravity.
Clocks on Mars tick faster than on Earth due to the difference in the gravity well.
A difference of just a few microseconds can lead to positioning errors of thousands of kilometers.
- 2
The transition from 'Mission Time' to 'Coordinated Lunar Time'
Historical missions like Apollo relied on Mission Elapsed Time (MET) from launch.
Future lunar bases require a standardized, synchronized time reference to support multiple rovers, landers, and human inhabitants simultaneously.
NASA is developing the Lunar Communications and Navigation Relay System (LCRNS) to provide GPS-like capabilities on the Moon.
- 3
Precision timekeeping is a critical safety feature
Accurate navigation is essential for astronauts to return to safety during emergencies, such as solar flares.
Autonomous systems on the Moon require precise location data to navigate terrain and avoid obstacles.
Atomic clocks must be kept in stable, temperature-controlled environments to maintain the predictability required for navigation.
Intro
- As NASA prepares for long-term human presence on the Moon and Mars, the agency must solve the complex challenge of defining time beyond Earth's reference frame. This episode explores the physics of timekeeping and the infrastructure required to navigate other worlds.
- Kevin Coggins is the Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA's Space Communications and Navigation (SCAN) program, overseeing the agency's critical infrastructure for space data, navigation, and timing.
– The Role of NASA's SCAN Program
- Kevin Coggins explains that SCAN acts as the lifeline for all space missions, managing the Deep Space Network and the Near Space Network to ensure data flow and navigation for missions like Artemis and Europa Clipper.
SCAN is the lifeline, the line of which all data flows to and from any space mission we send up.
– Why Time is Complicated in Space
- Time is not a universal constant in practice; it is a measurement derived from atomic vibrations that are influenced by gravity and the reference frame of the observer.
It is one of the weirdest things I've ever encountered in my career is time. And it starts with a question like, what is it? What even is time, right?
– From Mission Elapsed Time to Coordinated Lunar Time
- While early missions used simple mission clocks, the future of lunar exploration requires a coordinated system similar to Earth's Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to allow for multi-asset coordination.
– Developing Infrastructure for the Moon and Mars
- NASA is currently working with commercial partners like Intuitive Machines to deploy the Lunar Communications Relay and Nav System (LCRNS) to establish a lunar reference frame.
We're going to spend a lot of energy and brain power over the next few years, figuring out how to do this and implementing capability.
Resources
Topics
NASASpace ExplorationTimekeepingPhysicsLunar ExplorationMars MissionsNavigationAtomic Clocks