Have you ever thought about putting clocks on the Moon? Sounds wild, right? But scientists are saying it’s a must-do for future lunar missions. Time works a bit differently on the Moon because of its weaker gravity and its distance from Earth. Precise clocks would help astronauts navigate, coordinate tasks, and even communicate better with Earth. Plus, with plans for moon bases and exploration, having synchronized lunar time could be a game-changer. It’s like setting the groundwork for a whole new time zone—on the Moon! Credit:
First 13 Days of NASA's Artemis I Moon Mission: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/Highlights%20From%20the%20First%2013%20Days%20of%20NASA's%20Artemis%20I%20Moon%20Mission
Michael Collins Speaks With Expedition 60 Crew: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/iss060m262051533_Apollo_11_Astronaut_Michael_Collins_Speaks_With_Expedition_60_Crew_2019_0724
Flight Control Room Simulation: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/jsc2021m000184__Artemis-1_Flight-Control-Room_Simulation_B-roll_211101
The First Element of the Spacecraft For Artemis III: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/The%20First%20Element%20of%20the%20Spacecraft%20For%20Artemis%20III%20on%20This%20Week%20@NASA%20August%2028,%202020
Deep Space Atomic Clock: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/JPL-20190618-TECHf-0001-Deep_Space_Atomic_Clock_Videofile
Autonomous Navigation System on Moon: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/CLPS_Evan%20Anzalone%20Social%20%281%29
Atomic Clock Media B-roll: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/JPL-20160408-TECHf-0001
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich Spacecraft: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/JPL-20200929-SENT6f-0001-Sentinel%206%20Animation%20Reel%20UHD%20YT
ATLAS: Laser Focus: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/GSFC_20150107_ATLAS_m11726_Transmitter
Landsat 8 Lunar Calibration: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/GSFC_20140711_Landsat_m11606_Lunar
NASA Rover Completes Mars Mission: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/JPL-20190213-MERf-0001-Opportunity%20NASA%20Rover%20Completes%20Mars%20Mission%20CC
New Mission to the Moon: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/jsc2022m000203_Simulating_a_New_Mission_to_the_Moon_MP4
Motherboard / YouTube
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This video is made for entertainment purposes. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, safety and reliability. Any action you take upon the information in this video is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any damages or losses. It is the viewer's responsibility to use judgement, care and precaution if you plan to replicate.
First 13 Days of NASA's Artemis I Moon Mission: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/Highlights%20From%20the%20First%2013%20Days%20of%20NASA's%20Artemis%20I%20Moon%20Mission
Michael Collins Speaks With Expedition 60 Crew: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/iss060m262051533_Apollo_11_Astronaut_Michael_Collins_Speaks_With_Expedition_60_Crew_2019_0724
Flight Control Room Simulation: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/jsc2021m000184__Artemis-1_Flight-Control-Room_Simulation_B-roll_211101
The First Element of the Spacecraft For Artemis III: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/The%20First%20Element%20of%20the%20Spacecraft%20For%20Artemis%20III%20on%20This%20Week%20@NASA%20August%2028,%202020
Deep Space Atomic Clock: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/JPL-20190618-TECHf-0001-Deep_Space_Atomic_Clock_Videofile
Autonomous Navigation System on Moon: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/CLPS_Evan%20Anzalone%20Social%20%281%29
Atomic Clock Media B-roll: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/JPL-20160408-TECHf-0001
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich Spacecraft: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/JPL-20200929-SENT6f-0001-Sentinel%206%20Animation%20Reel%20UHD%20YT
ATLAS: Laser Focus: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/GSFC_20150107_ATLAS_m11726_Transmitter
Landsat 8 Lunar Calibration: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/GSFC_20140711_Landsat_m11606_Lunar
NASA Rover Completes Mars Mission: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/JPL-20190213-MERf-0001-Opportunity%20NASA%20Rover%20Completes%20Mars%20Mission%20CC
New Mission to the Moon: NASA, https://images.nasa.gov/details/jsc2022m000203_Simulating_a_New_Mission_to_the_Moon_MP4
Motherboard / YouTube
Animation is created by Bright Side.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/
Check our Bright Side podcast on Spotify and leave a positive review! https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD34jRLrMrJux4VxV
Subscribe to Bright Side: https://goo.gl/rQTJZz
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightside.official
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brightside.official?lang=en
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Stock materials (photos, footages and other):
https://www.depositphotos.com
https://www.shutterstock.com
https://www.eastnews.ru
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For more videos and articles visit:
http://www.brightside.me
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This video is made for entertainment purposes. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, safety and reliability. Any action you take upon the information in this video is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any damages or losses. It is the viewer's responsibility to use judgement, care and precaution if you plan to replicate.
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FunTranscript
00:00Time can stretch or shrink depending on where you are.
00:04Climb to the top of an extremely high mountain, and time will pass a teeny tiny bit faster
00:10than if you were down in a valley.
00:11That's all because of gravity and how it affects time.
00:15We hardly notice it in our everyday life, but for scientists and space agencies preparing
00:20to send people to the Moon, these minuscule differences in time really do matter.
00:25We'll get to answer the why question a bit later.
00:33Right now, a new space race is underway.
00:36Many countries want to establish long-term bases on the Moon.
00:39With humans up there, things like reliable timekeeping become crucial.
00:44The thing is, the Moon doesn't operate on Earth's time.
00:47A day on the Moon runs slightly faster than a day on Earth.
00:51The difference is about 56 microseconds, and it seems insignificant.
00:56But over time, even such a difference can add up, creating bigger issues.
01:01So to keep lunar missions running smoothly and prevent things from drifting out of sync,
01:07NASA and scientists around the world are now dealing with a tricky challenge – creating
01:11an entirely new lunar time scale.
01:16NASA is supposed to start using it by 2026.
01:19It's the same year they hope to send astronauts back to the Moon for the first time in 50
01:24years.
01:25But this new time scale is not just a Moon time zone.
01:28It's actually an entire system that will adjust for the Moon's faster time and keep
01:33everything synchronized with Earth's time systems.
01:36Only in this case will missions be able to run smoothly.
01:39You see, on Earth, our timekeeping is already surprisingly complicated.
01:44It might seem like time should be a straightforward concept, but keeping accurate time is a challenge.
01:48It's actually a precise science, especially when you consider how much timekeeping affects
01:53our daily lives.
01:55So to keep global time coordinated, scientists rely on something called Coordinated Universal
02:00Time, also known as UTC.
02:03This global time standard is based on ultra-precise atomic clocks that scientists place in separate
02:09locations all over the world.
02:12Atomic clocks are cool because they measure time based on the consistent vibrations of
02:16atoms, so they're super stable and accurate.
02:20This helps scientists make sure UTC is the same for everyone, everywhere.
02:25These atomic clocks also take into account that time moves slightly more slowly the closer
02:31you are to the center of our planet.
02:33So atomic clocks positioned closer to the Earth's surface tick a bit more slowly due
02:38to stronger gravitational pull.
02:40This effect, explained by Einstein's theory of relativity, happens because gravity affects
02:46time.
02:47By spreading atomic clocks across different elevations, scientists average out all the
02:51tiny time differences caused by gravity.
02:54Also for precise timekeeping, scientists occasionally add leap seconds to account for the small
03:00natural changes in Earth's rotation speed.
03:03It sounds pretty technical, but this process of keeping everyone on the same time helps
03:08make the modern world function.
03:10After all, precise timing is crucial for global trading, GPS navigation, and even Internet
03:16communications.
03:18But time on the Moon works differently.
03:20Our natural satellite has a weaker gravitational field than Earth.
03:24That's why clocks on the Moon tick a bit faster.
03:27This difference means that lunar clocks are very likely to slowly drift away from Earth
03:31clocks if there's no correction.
03:34It can lead to big problems when astronauts need to keep in close contact with Earth or
03:39navigate around the lunar surface.
03:41NASA's solution is something called a lunar time scale.
03:45Scientists aren't going to adjust Moon clocks to match Earth exactly.
03:49Instead, they want to establish a unique system that measures lunar time accurately, but is
03:54also easy to convert back to Earth time.
03:57Think of it as creating a whole new framework just for the Moon.
04:01To make this lunar time system work, NASA is cooperating with international colleagues
04:06like the European Space Agency.
04:08Together, they're setting up what they call LunaNet.
04:12This lunar network will be a bit like the Internet for the Moon.
04:16It'll make sure all the lunar clocks work together and align with Earth-based time.
04:21Just like how atomic clocks around the world coordinate for UTC on Earth, clocks on the
04:25Moon will be part of this larger LunaNet network.
04:30Scientists are pretty experienced when it comes to managing time and space.
04:34International Positioning System satellites, which orbit Earth about 12,550 miles high,
04:40have atomic clocks on board.
04:42These clocks tick faster than clocks on the Earth's surface because they're quite far
04:46away from Earth's gravitational pull.
04:48But then, how does GPS navigation stay accurate?
04:52It's because scientists have figured out ways to slow those clocks down to match Earth's
04:58time.
04:59This experience with GPS clocks is a great base for what scientists need to do on the
05:03Moon.
05:04In some ways, it might be even easier than managing GPS.
05:09Scientists can work with lunar clocks as they naturally are, instead of needing to adjust
05:13them to sync perfectly with Earth.
05:15By setting up accurate lunar time from the start, scientists hope to avoid some of the
05:20complications of managing GPS satellites.
05:24And now, here's the interesting part.
05:26Or maybe more interesting.
05:28To keep lunar timekeeping a reality, NASA and its partners want to set up clocks both
05:33on the lunar surface and on satellites orbiting the Moon.
05:37Some of these clocks will be long-lasting atomic clocks, and others will be crystal
05:41oscillators.
05:43Those offer stability over short time periods.
05:45Together, these clocks will create a network that scientists will be able to rely on.
05:51Meanwhile, atomic clocks for space don't come cheap.
05:55They can cost a staggering few million dollars each.
05:58Luckily, crystal oscillators are more affordable, but they don't stay accurate over long periods.
06:04Once those clocks are set up, they'll work together as part of LunaNet, which will be
06:09NASA's framework for everything related to Moon-based time and data networks.
06:14LunaNet will act like an Internet for lunar operations.
06:17Different space agencies will contribute to it, like how Internet service providers work
06:22for us on Earth.
06:24There's another set of challenges, and it's connected with the Moon's rotation.
06:28Firstly, a day on the Moon lasts much longer than a day on our planet because it takes
06:34the Moon about 28 Earth days to make a full rotation.
06:37Plus, the Moon's equator experiences about 14 days of sunlight followed by 14 days of
06:43darkness, unlike Earth's regular day-night cycle.
06:47And at the Moon's south pole, where NASA is going to establish future lunar missions,
06:51there are areas that stay lit or in shadow permanently.
06:55It might make it harder for astronauts to keep track of time.
06:59NASA and its partners hope to involve more countries in this project through international
07:04organizations like the International Astronomical Union.
07:08The idea is to get as many countries as possible on board with the lunar timescale, so that
07:13everyone exploring the Moon is on the same page.
07:18The really exciting thing about all this is that figuring out lunar time could help
07:22other future space missions, like trips to Mars.
07:25The experience and knowledge we'll get from setting up a lunar timescale are likely to
07:30serve as a blueprint for managing time on even farther planets.
07:34That's one of the reasons why scientists are taking this lunar project so seriously.
07:39As for astronauts living on the Moon, a consistent, reliable time system will be essential.
07:44Not just for navigation, but for everything from scientific experiments to day-to-day
07:49activities.
07:50NASA's lunar time project is truly groundbreaking.
07:54It's the first step toward managing time as humans expand farther into space.
07:59And if they get it right, it'll mean that future astronauts won't just have Earth
08:03time to guide them.
08:04They'll also have a Moon time, and even, one day, a Mars time too.
08:10Precise timekeeping matters both for the sake of scientifically understanding the passage
08:14of time on the Moon, and for setting up all the infrastructure necessary to carry out
08:19missions.
08:20Scientists are also eager to create a timescale from scratch, because they can take everything
08:25they've learned about timekeeping on Earth, and apply it to a new system on the Moon.
08:30Well, I'm out of time, so bye!
08:34That's it for today!
08:35So, hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your
08:40friends.
08:41Or, if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!