NASA计划为月球设计一款新的时钟，让秒针走得更快

NASA is working on creating a new timekeeping system for the moon. Because of the moon's lower gravity, time moves slightly faster there compared to Earth—58.7 microseconds every day. To accommodate this difference, the White House has instructed NASA and other U.S. agencies to collaborate with international partners to establish a moon-centric time reference system. This system will involve using an atomic clock on the moon that ticks at a different rate than clocks on Earth.

Kevin Coggins, NASA's top communications and navigation official, emphasized the need for a unique time reference system for each celestial body, stating that "it makes sense that when you go to another body, like the moon or Mars, that each one gets its own heartbeat." The precision of timing is critical for current high-tech systems such as GPS, satellites, and communication networks, making it necessary to account for the time difference.

While the International Space Station will continue to use coordinated universal time (UTC), the implementation and transition to the new space time for lunar activities are yet to be determined by NASA. The goal is to have a preliminary idea for the new timekeeping system by the end of 2021 and a final plan by the end of 2026. NASA plans to send astronauts around the moon in September 2025 and land people there a year later.