travel from earth to moon time

How long does it take to get to the moon?

Here we explore how long it takes to get to the moon and the factors that affect the journey to our rocky companion.

• Traveling at the speed of light
• Fastest spacecraft
• Driving to the moon

Q&A with an expert

• Calculating travel times

Moon mission travel times

Additional resources, bibliography.

If you wanted to go to the moon, how long would it take? 

Well, the answer depends on a number of factors ranging from the positions of Earth and the moon , to whether you want to land on the surface or just zip past, and especially to the technology used to propel you there.

The average travel time to the moon (providing the moon is your intended destination), using current rocket propulsion is approximately three days. The fastest flight to the moon without stopping was achieved by NASA's New Horizons probe when it passed the moon in just 8 hours 35 minutes while en route to Pluto . 

Currently, the fastest crewed flight to the moon was Apollo 8. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit just 69 hours and 8 minutes after launch according to NASA .

Here we take a look at how long a trip to the moon would take using available technology and explore the travel times of previous missions to our lunar companion. 

Related: Missions to the moon: Past, present and future

How far away is the moon?

To find out how long it takes to get to the moon, we first must know how far away it is. 

The average distance between Earth and the moon is about 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers), according to NASA. But because the moon does not orbit Earth in a perfect circle, its distance from Earth is not constant. At its closest point to Earth — known as perigee — the moon is about 226,000 miles (363,300 km) away and at its farthest — known as apogee — it's about 251,000 miles (405,500 km) away.

How long would it take to travel to the moon at the speed of light?

Light travels at approximately 186,282 miles per second (299,792 km per second). Therefore, a light shining from the moon would take the following amount of time to reach Earth (or vice versa):  

• Closest point: 1.2 seconds 
• Farthest point: 1.4 seconds 
• Average distance:  1.3 seconds 

How long would it take to travel to the moon on the fastest spacecraft so far?

The fastest spacecraft is NASA's Parker Solar Probe , which keeps breaking its own speed records as it moves closer to the sun. On Nov. 21, 2021, the Parker Solar Probe clocked a top speed of 101 miles (163 kilometers) per second during its 10th close flyby of our star, which translates to a blistering 364,621 mph (586,000 kph). According to a NASA statement , when the Parker Solar Probe comes within 4 million miles (6.2 million kilometers) of the solar surface in December 2024, the spacecraft's speed will top 430,000 miles per hour (692,000 km/h)!

So if you were theoretically able to hitch a ride on the Parker Solar Probe and take it on a detour from its sun-focused mission to travel in a straight line from Earth to the moon, traveling at the speeds the probe reaches during its 10th flyby (101 miles per second), the time it would take you to get to the moon would be:

• Closest point: 37.2 minutes
• Farthest point: 41.4 minutes
• Average distance: 39.4 minutes

How long would it take to drive to the moon?

Let's say you decided to drive to the moon (and that it was actually possible). At an average distance of 238,855 miles (384,400 km) and driving at a constant speed of 60 mph (96 km/h), it would take about 166 days.  

We asked Michael Khan, ESA Senior Mission Analyst some frequently asked questions about travel times to the moon. 

Michael Khan is a Senior Mission Analyst for the European Space Agency (ESA). His work involves studying the orbital mechanics for journeys to planetary bodies including Mars.

And what affects the travel time?

The time it takes to get from one celestial body to another depends largely on the energy that one is willing to expend. Here  "energy" refers  to the effort put in by the launch vehicle and the sum of the manoeuvres of the rocket motors aboard the spacecraft, and the amount of propellant that is used. In space travel, everything boils down to energy. Spaceflight is the clever management of energy.

Some common solutions for transfers to the moon are 1) the Hohmann-like transfer and 2) the Free Return Transfer. The Hohmann Transfer is often referred to as the one that requires the lowest energy, but that is true only if you want the transfer to last only a few days and, in addition, if some constraints on the launch apply. Things get very complicated from there on, so I won't go into details.

The transfer duration for the Hohmann-like transfer is around 5 days. There is some variation in this duration because the moon orbit is eccentric, so its distance from the Earth varies quite a bit with time, and with it, the characteristics of the transfer orbit.

The Free Return transfer is a popular transfer for manned spacecraft. It requires more energy than the Hohmann-like transfer, but it is a lot safer, because its design is such that if the rocket engine fails at the moment you are trying to insert into the orbit around the Moon, the gravity of the Moon  will deflect the orbit exactly such that it returns to the Earth. So even with a defective propulsion system, you can still get the people back safely. The Apollo missions flew on Free Return transfers. They take around 3 days to reach the moon.

Why are journey times a lot slower for spacecraft intending to orbit or land on the target body e.g. Mars compared to those that are just going to fly by?

If you want your spacecraft to enter Mars orbit or to land on the surface, you add a lot of constraints to the design problem. For an orbiter, you have to consider the significant amount of propellant required for orbit insertion, while for a lander, you have to design and build a heat shield that can withstand the loads of atmospheric entry. Usually, this will mean that the arrival velocity of Mars cannot exceed a certain boundary. Adding this constraint to the trajectory optimisation problem will limit the range of solutions you obtain to transfers that are Hohmann-like. This usually leads to an increase in transfer duration.

Calculating travel times to the moon — it's not that straightforward

A problem with the previous calculations is that they measure the distance between Earth and the moon in a straight line and assume the two bodies remain at a constant distance; that is, assuming that when a probe is launched from Earth, the moon would remain the same distance away by the time the probe arrives. 

In reality, however, the distance between Earth and the moon is not constant due to the moon's elliptical orbit, so engineers must calculate the ideal orbits for sending a spacecraft from Earth to the moon. Like throwing a dart at a moving target from a moving vehicle, they must calculate where the moon will be when the spacecraft arrives, not where it is when it leaves Earth. 

Another factor engineers need to take into account when calculating travel times to the moon is whether the mission has the intention of landing on the surface or entering lunar orbit. In these cases, traveling there as fast as possible is not feasible as the spacecraft needs to arrive slowly enough to perform orbit insertion maneuvers. 

More than 140 missions have been launched to the moon, each with a different objective, route and travel time. 

Perhaps the most famous — the crewed Apollo 11 mission — took four days, six hours and 45 minutes to reach the moon. Apollo 10 still holds the record for the fastest speed any humans have ever traveled when it clocked a top speed of while the crew of Apollo 10 traveled 24,791 mph (39,897 kph) relative to Earth as they rocketed back to our planet on May 26, 1969.

The first uncrewed flight test of NASA's Orion spacecraft and space launch system rocket — Artemis 1 — reached the moon on flight day six of its journey and swooped down to just 80 miles (130 km) above the lunar surface to gain a gravitational boost to enter a so-called "distant retrograde orbit." 

Read more about how space navigation works with accurate timekeeping with these resources from NASA . Learn more about how before the days of GPS engineers were able to navigate from Earth to the moon with such precision with this article by Gwendolyn Vines Gettliffe published at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 'ask an engineer' feature. 

Hatfield, M. (2021). Space Dust Presents Opportunities, Challenges as Parker Solar Probe Speeds Back toward the Sun – Parker Solar Probe. [online] blogs.nasa.gov. Available at: https://blogs.nasa.gov/parkersolarprobe/2021/11/10/space-dust-presents-opportunities-challenges-as-parker-solar-probe-speeds-back-toward-the-sun/ .

NASA (2011). Apollo 8. [online] NASA. Available at: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo8.html .

www.rmg.co.uk. (n.d.). How many people have walked on the Moon? [online] Available at: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/how-many-people-have-walked-on-moon . 

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Daisy Dobrijevic joined Space.com in February 2022 having previously worked for our sister publication All About Space magazine as a staff writer. Before joining us, Daisy completed an editorial internship with the BBC Sky at Night Magazine and worked at the National Space Centre in Leicester, U.K., where she enjoyed communicating space science to the public. In 2021, Daisy completed a PhD in plant physiology and also holds a Master's in Environmental Science, she is currently based in Nottingham, U.K. Daisy is passionate about all things space, with a penchant for solar activity and space weather. She has a strong interest in astrotourism and loves nothing more than a good northern lights chase! 

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• UFOareAngels The fact that we are still asking this question proves we never went to the moon and are never going back. Reply
• Rathelor Those Parker Solar Probe travel times seems a little too high. Reply
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How Long Does It Take to Get to the Moon?

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Boldly glowing in the night sky, the moon has long been an object of fascination. It's not just a pretty face in our solar system; it's a natural satellite that affects the tides , animal sleep cycles (including humans !) and hormones .

But how long does it take to get to the moon ? Humans have long been inspired to look up and reach beyond the atmosphere of our own planet — that's part of why President John F. Kennedy set his sights on NASA's mission objective to travel to the moon in the 1960s — so it's only natural to wonder how long the journey takes.

So far, American astronauts have made nine journeys to the moon — six of which landed on the lunar surface. NASA, other governments, and other private companies are now planning crewed missions back to the moon, which will give us even more data about how long it takes to make the trip.

The Moon's Distance: Not Just a Straight Line

Travel time to the moon, a flashback to apollo 11, what lies ahead: new missions and new hopes.

The moon doesn't just lazily hover around Earth in a perfectly circular path. The moon's orbit is, in fact, elliptical .

This causes the moon to be sometimes closer to Earth (a point known as perigee) and sometimes further (known as apogee). This is why you might have heard the term " supermoon " thrown around.

Taking advantage of lunar orbit mechanics, astrophysicists can plan lunar missions to coincide with those times when the moon's elliptical orbit is at its closest point to Earth.

Based on past missions, we know that it usually takes about three days for a manned spacecraft to reach the moon when the average distance from Earth to the moon is 240,000 miles (386,243 kilometers) . This translates to a spacecraft's speed of about 3,333 mph (5,364 kph).

Yet, the duration isn't always set in stone. Some uncrewed missions, in a bid to be more fuel efficient, might move a lot slower. For instance, China's Chang'e missions took around four to five days .

But, want to hear something astonishing? The 1959 Luna 1, launched by a powerful rocket, made its journey to the moon in just 36 hours , traveling at a speed of about 6,500 mph (10,500 kph). However, it failed to land on the moon's surface.

The Luna 2, which launched only a few months later, not only succeeded in becoming the first spacecraft to land on the moon, but it also made the trip in 34 hours. And let's not forget the 2006 New Horizons, which breezed past the moon in a mere eight and a half hours en route to Pluto, reaching speeds of up to 36,373 mph (58,536 kph).

The Apollo missions, headed by NASA from the Kennedy Space Center, were monumental in unraveling the mysteries of our lunar neighbor. The Apollo 11 mission showcases the wonders of orbital mechanics.

While it took Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and their team three days, three hours and 49 minutes to reach the moon and set foot on its surface, they returned to Earth in just two days, 22 hours and 56 minutes .

Why the time difference? As Armstrong and Aldrin were hopping around on the lunar surface, Earth and the moon grew slightly closer — an effect of that elliptical orbit we mentioned earlier. moon

With advancements in propulsion system and launch vehicle technologies, both governmental bodies and private enterprises are gearing up for future crewed missions to the moon. The European Space Agency, in collaboration with NASA's Orion spacecraft, aims to achieve newer milestones.

So, the next time you look up and see that silvery orb in the sky, just remember: A new chapter in our relationship with the moon is about to unfold with another crewed mission to its surface likely on the way.

This article was updated in conjunction with AI technology, then fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.

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How long does it take to travel to the Moon?

Last Updated: November 23, 2022

Humans have always been fascinated by the prospect of visiting the Moon – our closest celestial neighbor, and the first stepping stone in the exploration of the solar system. Even with the use of modern technology and advanced propulsion systems, reaching the Moon remains a very difficult and very expensive endeavour.

So how long does it take to get to the Moon? The short answer is that it takes an average of 3 days to reach the Moon. 

Between 1969 and 1972, NASA sent 18 astronauts to the Moon as part of the Apollo space program . In addition, five nations and two political unions have successfully landed unmanned spacecraft on the lunar surface or placed them into lunar orbit.

The last Moon landing occurred almost 40 years ago! In fact, humans have not set foot on the lunar ground since December 14, 1972. That being said, NASA’s new “Artemis” mission is generating a great deal of public interest. The next Moon landing is scheduled for 2024!

So, what are the factors that can influence the duration of this incredible journey? Let’s dive in! Or should I say, let’s take off?

Cargo load is one of the many factors that can influence the time it takes to travel to the Moon.

Does the Moon's orbit affect the time it takes to get there?

We know that the Moon is located at an average distance of 238,855 miles from Earth. However, the trajectory of the Moon’s orbit around the Earth is elliptical, with one side closer to the Earth than the other and an average eccentricity of 0.0549.

Since its path is not perfectly circular, there is a moment when the Moon is as close as possible to the Earth (lunar perigee) at 221,500 miles, and another moment when it is as far away as possible (lunar apogee) at 252,700 miles.

While the distance between the Moon and Earth is an important factor to consider when planning a spacecraft’s trajectory, other considerations come into play regarding the duration of the flight to the Moon.

Related reading : How Far Away is The Moon From Earth Right Now?

The duration of a journey to the Moon varies according to the following factors:

• The chosen itinerary;
• The selected type of propulsion system ;
• The presence or the absence of crew members aboard the spacecraft;
• Whether the spacecraft is scheduled to land on the surface, orbit around the Moon, or just fly by the Moon while heading towards a more distant target.

For example, if the space probe “New Horizons” was travelling at its maximum speed of 36,400 mph while the Moon is at perigee (221,500 miles), the probe would reach the Moon in only 6 hours and 15 minutes! If the Moon was at apogee (252,700 miles), the space probe would take about 6 hours and 50 minutes to pass by the Moon.

How long does it take to fly a manned spacecraft to the moon?

The most popular lunar mission is undoubtedly Apollo 11, during which the astronauts Neil Amstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins travelled to the Moon for the first time. After blasting off from the Kennedy Space Center on July 16, 1969, the astronauts landed on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969, and the journey took 75 hours and 49 minutes. 

To date, the Apollo 8 mission still holds the record for the shortest travel time ever achieved by a spacecraft carrying astronauts on board (69 hours et 8 minutes). In total, NASA conducted 6 lunar landings during the Apollo program.

Although other countries have conducted orbital placements as well as landings of unmanned spacecraft, the United States remains to this day the only country to have successfully landed astronauts on the Lunar surface.

As you can see in the table below, the time taken to reach the Moon is different for each Apollo mission. There are several explanations for this:

• The purpose of some missions was only to orbit the Moon rather than land on it.
• NASA was constantly researching and testing for the best possible trajectory.
• Some missions involved transporting very heavy equipment, such as the lunar rover.

The Apollo 12 mission arrived on the Moon after a voyage that took three and a half days.

How long does it take to send an unmanned spacecraft to the moon?

Even for unmanned space probes, there is no such thing as a consistent travel time… It all depends on whether the spacecraft is just passing by the Moon, whether it is intended to be placed into orbit or to land on the surface. New Horizons holds the record for the shortest trip to the Moon: 8 hours and 35 minutes! 

The record for the longest journey to the Moon is held by SMART-1, a space probe engineered by the European Space Agency: it took a full year to reach the Moon! Although SMART-1 is the slowest spacecraft to ever reach the Moon, it remains the most fuel-efficient spacecraft in history.

How long did it take Artemis 1 to reach the Moon?

Artemis 1 was launched on November 16 2022, at 6:47 am GMT (1:47 EST). This flight was the first in a series of missions planned by NASA as part of its Artemis program, which aims to land the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024. The launch vehicle used for the mission was the SLS (Space Launch System), carrying the Orion spacecraft into space.

After a relatively smooth journey, Orion officially entered lunar orbit on November 21, at 7:57 am ET (12:57 UTC). In total, Artemis took 5 days, 1 hour, and 10 minutes to travel from Earth to the Moon. It is not the quickest flight we’ve seen, but the main goals were:

• Test the flight systems
• Test the new technology that was developed for the mission
• Provide data on how the SLS performed, as well as insights into the health of Orion’s systems and overall performance.
• Prepare for crewed missions starting next year.

Related Article: How Much of Space Have We Explored So Far?

In summary, the time it takes to reach the Moon is about 3 days on average for manned spacecraft. On the other hand, for unmanned spacecraft, the travel time can vary considerably depending on the mission objectives. They usually reach their destination much faster.

I eagerly look forward to the launch of the next lunar mission scheduled for 2024.  Mankind will return to the lunar surface for the first time in 40 years! And this time, a woman will be part of the crew! How amazing!

Is it possible that 40 years of technological progress will significantly reduce the time it takes to reach the Moon? Perhaps the new private space companies, such as SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin, will beat all previous records? We’ll find out the answer in a few years…!

Written by Tom Urbain

I’ve been fascinated by space and astronomy from a very young age. When I’m not watching space-themed documentaries, movies or TV series, I spend most of my free time in my backyard admiring the planets and galaxies with my telescope.

Explore more space travel stories 🚀

This moon-related story is part of our collection of astronomy articles . If this piece sparked your interest, you’re sure to enjoy the fascinating insights offered in our subsequent articles.

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How long does it take to get to the Moon?

From Apollo to Artemis, here's how long it takes to get to the Moon.

Toby Saunders

How long does it take to get to the Moon ? If you’re planning your next weekend break to spend time on the lunar surface, you’ll need to know exactly how long it will take to get there.

While we’re a ways off building bases on the Moon , NASA’s Artemis mission is taking people back onto the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. The aim of the Artemis mission is to build the Lunar Gateway , which will place a space station in lunar orbit to act as a staging post for future trips to the Moon.

Artemis 3 is set to bring people back onto the Moon for the first time in over 50 years. This mission is likely to take place in 2026 at the earliest – but how long will it take the astronauts to get to the Moon?

Read on to find out how far away the Moon is from the Earth, how long it takes to get to the Moon, how long it took Apollo 11, and how long it takes a probe to get there.

How far away is the Moon?

The Moon doesn’t have a fixed distance away from the Earth. Just as the Earth’s orbit isn’t 100 per cent circular around the Sun, the Moon’s orbit isn’t around the Earth. It gets closer and further away over time.

The Moon is 363,104km from Earth at its closest point (perigee) and 405,696km away at its farthest (apogee). Taking these measurements, the average distance between the Earth and the Moon is around 384,400km.

The elliptical nature of the Moon’s orbit of the Earth is just one of many factors scientists need to take into account when planning missions up there.

It’s difficult to give a definitive answer on how long it takes to get to the Moon but it should take just over three days . There are a multitude of factors to account for, including the changing distance between us and the Moon, take-off trajectory, whether the craft is manned or unmanned, choice of propulsion system, and whether it’s landing, orbiting, or flying by.

During NASA’s Apollo program, the fastest mission was Apollo 8, which took 69 hours and eight minutes to enter the lunar orbit insertion burn. This was the quickest of NASA's Apollo missions – each mission after this had flight durations of 74 hours and over. The final Moon-landing mission, Apollo 17, took 86 hours and 14 minutes to reach the Moon.

The Artemis 1, an uncrewed craft, took five days in 2022 to reach the Moon’s orbit. Travelling to the Moon has become slower in the years since the 'one small step for man and a giant leap for mankind' took place, mainly because we have moved on from a direct transfer trajectory to save on fuel and costs.

How long did it take to get to the Moon in 1969?

The Apollo 11 Moon-landing mission in 1969 took astronauts Neil Armstrong , Buzz Aldrin , and Michael Collins 75 hours and 49 minutes to get to and land on the Moon. That’s just over three days. This is the time it took for them to actually land on the Moon, not just entering its orbit.

According to NASA, an entire Apollo mission, from leaving Earth and landing back at home took a total of eight days, three hours, 18 minutes, and 35 seconds. Here is the full list of Apollo missions to the Moon and how long they took:

• Apollo 8: 69 hours, 8 minutes (1968)
• Apollo 10: 75 hours, 55 minutes (1969)
• Apollo 11: 75 hours, 49 minutes (1969)
• Apollo 12: 83 hours, 25 minutes (1969)
• Apollo 13: 76 hours (1970)
• Apollo 14: 81 hours, 56 minutes (1971)
• Apollo 15: 78 hours, 31 minutes (1971)
• Apollo 16: 74 hours, 28 minutes (1972)
• Apollo 17: 86 hours, 14 minutes (1972)

How long does it take a probe to get to the Moon?

A probe can get to the Moon in around eight and a half hours.

The New Horizons probe took eight hours and 35 minutes to reach the moon. It eventually reached Pluto after nine years in 2015.

Other probes can take far longer to reach the Moon, however, and the time taken is dependent on different factors including fuel used and more. The European Space Agency’s Smart-1 probe in 2003, for example, took one year and six weeks to get to the Moon. Its use of electric-ion propulsion (using up just 82kg of Xenon fuel), the reason behind its slow speed.

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• Why does the Sun produce so much radiation?

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• NGC 1097 (Spitzer)
• Helix (Spitzer)
• Flame Nebula (WISE)
• Galactic Center (2MASS)
• Cool Andromeda (Herschel)

• Why does the Moon follow me when I move?
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How long does it take to travel to the Moon?

• What is a blue moon?
• What causes a ring around the Moon?
• How much would I weigh on the Moon?
• How does the Moon shine?
• How many astronauts have walked on the Moon?
• What is the temperature on the Moon?
• How small is the Moon compared to Earth?
• How far away is the Moon?

It takes about 3 days for a spacecraft to reach the Moon. During that time a spacecraft travels at least 240,000 miles (386,400 kilometers) which is the distance between Earth and the Moon. The specific distance depends on the specific path chosen.

The Moon's Orbit and Rotation

An enduring myth about the Moon is that it doesn't rotate. While it's true that the Moon keeps the same face to us, this only happens because the Moon rotates at the same rate as its orbital motion, a special case of tidal locking called synchronous rotation . The animation shows both the orbit and the rotation of the Moon. The yellow circle with the arrow and radial line have been added to make the rotation more apparent. The arrow indicates the direction of rotation. The radial line points to the center of the visible disk of the Moon at 0°N 0°E.

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How Far Away Is the Moon?

You might be surprised..

Often when we see drawings of the Earth and the Moon, they look really close together.

Don’t be fooled! They’re actually really far apart. The Moon is an average of 238,855 miles (384,400 km) away. How far away is that? That’s 30 Earths.

Average distance?

Why mention the average distance? Well, the Moon is not always the same distance away from Earth. The orbit is not a perfect circle. When the Moon is the farthest away, it’s 252,088 miles away. That’s almost 32 Earths . When it's closest, the Moon is 225,623 miles away. That’s between 28 and 29 Earths.

So far apart!

The Moon definitely seems close because we can see it so well without a telescope,

but remember, it’s farther away than most people realize!

Related Resources for Educators

Distance to the Moon (Educator Guide) Launchpad: Moon Magic

How far apart?

To see for yourself how far apart Earth and the moon are, try this:

• Tennis ball
• Measuring tape

*If Earth was the size of a basketball, the moon would be the size of a tennis ball. This can give you an idea of how they compare.

• Place the basketball on the ground. This represents Earth .
• Use the measuring tape to find a spot 23 feet 9 inches away from the middle of the basketball. Place the tennis ball there. The tennis ball is the moon .
• Are the basketball Earth and tennis ball moon farther apart than you expected? Take a picture and show your friends and family how far apart the moon and Earth really are.

Use nearby objects to remember how far 23 feet 9 inches is from the basketball. Ask others to place the tennis ball where they think the moon is. They will be very surprised when you show them how far away it needs to be!

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How long does it take to get to the Moon?

How long would it take to drive or walk to the Moon, and how long do actual missions take?

Jenny Winder

At its closest (perigee), the Moon is 363,104 km (225,623 miles) from the Earth, and the farthest away (apogee) it gets is 405,696 km (252,088 miles) so an average distance of 384,400 km (238,855 miles).

On average, if you could drive in a straight line at 100mph (160 kph) it would take you around 99 days to get to the Moon, or if you walked at 3.7 mph (6 kph) it would take 2,669 days or about 7.3 years.

But how long does it take crewed missions and robotic probes to get to the Moon?

The average time for a Moon mission is about three days, but this varies depending on route, propulsion system, mission profile, whether crewed or not, whether you're landing, orbiting or flying by.

Crewed missions tend to take longer to get to the Moon. The fastest Apollo mission ( Apollo 8 ) took 69 hours and 8 minutes to reach the Moon, while the slowest (Apollo 17) took 86 hours and 14 minutes.

Before the 1980s, the usual trajectory to get ot the Moon was called a direct transfer. It was faster but used more fuel.

In 1969 Apollo 11 took 75 hours and 49 minutes, while Artemis 1 took five days to reach the Moon in 2022

Uncrewed missions to the Moon vary considerably in length.

New Horizons in 2006 took just 8 hours and 35 minutes to reach the Moon on its way to Pluto, while SMART-1, the European Space Agency's first mission to the Moon, used ion propulsion and took one year and six weeks in 2004.

They take longer to save fuel by using their thrusters as little as possible, aiming past the Moon and using its gravitational pull to bring them into orbit.

Missions often release piggyback satellites as well to save on launch costs.

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How far away is the Moon?

What is the distance between the Earth and the Moon? The answer is not as simple as you think...

The Moon is the most recognisable object in the night sky, and has an enormous impact on life here on Earth. But what is the exact distance between the Earth and the Moon? And why is that question not as simple as it sounds? Royal Observatory astronomer Affelia Wibisono explains all...

How far away is the Moon from the Earth?

The  average  distance between the Earth and the Moon is 384 400 km (238 855 miles) . 

How far is that in light-seconds?

Light travels at 300,000 kilometres per second, so it takes about 1.3 seconds for light to travel from the Moon back to the Earth. In other words, the Moon is 1.3 light-seconds away from the Earth .

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What is a light year, the moon's elliptical orbit.

No orbit is perfectly circular. Some are very close, but they are all at least slightly elliptical in shape. Astronomers can measure how near to a perfect circle an orbit is by calculating its 'eccentricity'.

This is expressed by a number that is between 0 and 1. The closer the eccentricity is to 0, the closer the orbit is to a circle. In fact, a circle can be thought of as a special kind of ellipse that has an eccentricity of 0.

Venus’ orbit is the least eccentric out of all of the planets in our Solar System and closest to a circle, with a value of 0.007. Mercury’s is the most eccentric with a value of 0.2.

The eccentricity of the Moon’s orbit is 0.05 . Furthermore, the Earth is not at the very centre of the Moon’s orbit either. It is located at one of the foci of the Moon’s elliptical orbit, so is closer to one edge of the orbit than the other.

Apogee, perigee and average distance - the distance to the Moon explained

Astronomers tend to talk about three different numbers when talking about the distance between the Earth and the Moon.

At its furthest point from the Earth, the Moon is about 405 696 km (252 088 miles) away and astronomers say that the Moon is at apogee (‘apo’ means ‘away’).

On the other hand, when the Moon is at perigee (‘peri’ means ‘near’), the Moon is at its closest approach to the Earth . The distance between them is only 363 104 km (225 623 miles).

These two figures differ by 42 592 km (26 465 miles) - more than three times larger than the diameter of the Earth! The average distance between the Earth and the Moon is 384 400 km (238 855 miles) .

The Moon’s elliptical orbit with the distances at apogee and perigee. Note that the Earth is not at the very centre of the orbit and that the eccentricity of the orbit has been exaggerated here! Credit: NASA/Luc Viator/Affelia Wibisono.

The supermoon and micromoon

But do the two distances affect us in any way? Not really. The full Moon will look slightly bigger if it occurs during perigee (sometimes called a supermoon) and slightly smaller at apogee (a micromoon). However, the difference won’t be easily noticeable to the naked eye and a side by side photographic comparison is the only way to really see it.

Find out more about supermoons

Comparison between a micromoon and a supermoon. Supermoons appear to be 14% larger and 30% brighter than a micromoon. Credit: Marcoaliaslama.

How does the Moon affect the tides?

Our tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun and the Earth’s rotation . High tides are highest and low tides are lowest when it is a full moon or a new moon because of the gravitational pull of our natural satellite and star add up. These tides are called spring tides, as the tides spring out and spring back, they do not have anything to do with the spring season. At perigee, the Moon’s gravitational pull will be slightly stronger than usual and so the difference between high and low tides would be larger – but only by about 5cm! Similarly, when the Moon is at apogee, the difference between high and low tides will only be about 5cm smaller than usual.

The biggest tides occur when the Sun, Moon and Earth align because the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon combine. Neap tides are smaller and occur when the Sun and Moon are perpendicular to each other. Credit: NASA/Luc Viator/HalloweenNight/Affelia Wibisono.

How far is the Moon from the sun?

Since the Moon orbits the Earth and the Earth orbits the Sun, both the Moon and the Earth are the same average distance away from the Sun. On average, the Earth and Moon are about 150 million kilometres (or 93 million miles) from the Sun!

That distance is so large that it takes light eight minutes to reach us (remember that light travels at 300,000 kilometres per second). That means that if the Sun were to stop shining right now, we wouldn’t know for another eight minutes.

How long does it take to get to the Moon from the Earth?

On average it would take three days , but it depends on how fast you are travelling and the exact route you take. It also depends on what you want to do – passing by the Moon does not require you to slow down to enter its orbit, minimising the time it would take to get there.

8 hours and 35 minutes

The record for the shortest journey time to the Moon is currently held by the New Horizons spacecraft with a time of 8 hours and 35 minutes.

1 day 10 hours

The first spacecraft to attempt to reach the Moon was the Soviet Union's   Luna 1 in 1959. Unfortunately, it did not slow down enough to complete its mission, but it did reach the vicinity of the Moon within 34 hours (1 day 10 hours).

13.5 months

SMART 1 , a European Space Agency spacecraft powered by an ion engine, was launched in 2003. It was very fuel efficient but did take 13.5 months to complete its journey!

How long did it take the Apollo missions to reach the Moon?

Human space travel will usually take longer than robotic ones. On average, the nine crewed missions to the Moon, (including Apollo 8, Apollo 10, Apollo 13 and the six that landed on the surface) took just over 78 hours (3 days 6 hours) to enter lunar orbit. The quickest was Apollo 8 which took 2 days, 21 hours and 8 minutes, while Apollo 17 took the longest with a time of 3 days, 14 hours and 41 minutes (times include the time spent in Earth orbit).

How long would it take to drive to the moon?

If you were driving at a speed of 40mph it would take approximately 5,791.375 hours to get to the Moon. However, this depends on whether the Moon is in apogee or perigee - and what kind of rocket car you have of course. 

How long does it take the Moon to orbit the Earth?

The lunar phase cycle takes 29.5 days to complete , and is directly connected to the orbit of the Moon around the Earth. However this is not how long it takes for one orbit to complete. Instead the Moon takes 27.3 days to orbit the Earth once .

This difference comes from how you measure the motions of objects in space. As there are no truly fixed points in space to measure against, you are forced to use objects that are considered not to move to within a reasonable level of uncertainty. 

Very distant stars and galaxies, while all technically in motion, don’t noticeably move in the sky on human timescales. Therefore they can be considered fixed. 

If you measure how the Moon orbits compared to these distant stars you get 27.3 days, the true orbital period of the Moon. However, the phases of the Moon are dependent on how the Moon, Earth and Sun are placed. During the time the Moon orbits the Earth, the Earth has moved on in its orbit around the Sun. In effect, the Moon needs a couple of extra days to catch up and return to the same point in space relative to the Sun. Hence the 29.5 day lunar phase cycle.

How long is a day on the Moon?

You may have noticed that the full Moon always looks about the same. You always see the same pattern of craters, hills, valleys and mare (seas) on the full Moon. In fact if you look at any phase of the Moon, it will always show the same features, though not all of the features will be lit up.

This is because the Moon spins at the same rate as it orbits around the Earth, with the exception of a couple of minor wobbles (known as libration) that brings a little more of the Moon into view. This means we only ever see the near side of the Moon from Earth, and never the far side. This is sometimes known as the “dark side” of the Moon - not because it actually is dark, but because it was mysterious and unknown until humans explored it.

The result is a very slowly rotating Moon: it takes 29.5 days to go from midday to midday on the Moon. Daylight lasts about two weeks and night time another two weeks. That, coupled with the lack of an atmosphere on the Moon, means the temperature changes wildly from over 100°C during the day to around -150°C at night. 

Is the Moon moving away from the Earth?

Astronomers have discovered that the Moon is currently moving away from the Earth by 3.8 cm every year!

Astronauts from the Apollo 11, 14 and 15 missions and the two Soviet Union rovers, Lunokhod 1 and Lunokhod 2 , left a total of five mirrors on the surface of the Moon. Astronomers on Earth can reflect laser beams off these mirrors and record the time it takes for the laser to return. We know how fast the laser beam is travelling (the speed of light) so we can easily calculate the distance that the laser beam has travelled. The Earth-Moon distance would then be half of this value.

This would mean that in the far future, total  solar eclipses  would be a thing of the past as the Moon will appear to be smaller: therefore, its disc will not be large enough to completely obscure the Sun. It will eventually stop receding from the Earth in about 50 billion years’ time according to theory. However, the Sun would have already entered the next stage of its life long before that happens. As it expands into a red giant star in 5 billion years or so, it will push the Moon back towards the Earth causing it to disintegrate due to strong tidal forces.

This article has been written by an astronomer at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich

01/06/2018: Affelia Wibisono

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The speed of light is torturously slow, and these 3 simple animations by a scientist at NASA prove it

• The speed of light in a vacuum is about 186,282 miles per second (299,792 kilometers per second).
• A scientist at NASA animated how long it takes light to travel around Earth, as well as between the planet, its moon, and Mars.
• The physics animations show just how fast (and slow) the speed limit of the universe can be.

A series of new animations by a NASA scientist show just how zippy — and also how torturously slow — the speed of light can be.

Light speed is the fastest that any material object can travel through space. That is, of course, barring the existence of theoretical shortcuts in the fabric of space called wormholes (and the ability to go through them without being destroyed).

In a perfectly empty vacuum, a particle of light, which is called a photon, can travel 186,282 miles per second (299,792 kilometers per second), or about 670.6 million mph (1.079 billion kilometers per hour).

This is incredibly fast. However, light speed can be frustratingly slow if you're trying to communicate with or reach other planets, especially any worlds beyond our solar system.

Read more : Astronomers found a 'cold super-Earth' less than 6 light-years away — and it may be the first rocky planet we'll photograph beyond the solar system

To depict the speed limit of the cosmos in a way anyone could understand, James O'Donoghue , a planetary scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, took it upon himself to animate it.

"My animations were made to show as instantly as possible the whole context of what I'm trying to convey," O'Donoghue told Business Insider via Twitter . "When I revised for my exams, I used to draw complex concepts out by hand just to truly understand, so that's what I'm doing here."

O'Donoghue said he only recently learned how to create these animations — his first were for a NASA news release about Saturn's vanishing rings . After that, he moved on to animating other difficult-to-grasp space concepts, including a video illustrating the rotation speeds and sizes of the planets. He said that one "garnered millions of views" when he posted it on Twitter .

O'Donoghue's latest effort looks at three different light-speed scenarios to convey how fast (and how painfully slow) photons can be.

How fast light travels relative to Earth

One of O'Donoghue's first animations shows how fast light moves in relation to Earth.

Earth is 24,901 miles around at its center. If our world had no atmosphere (air refracts and slows down light a little bit), a photon skimming along its surface could lap the equator nearly 7.5 times every second.

In this depiction , the speed of light seems pretty fast — though the movie also shows how finite it is.

How fast light travels between Earth and the moon

A second animation by O'Donoghue takes a big step back from Earth to include the moon.

Related stories

On average, there is about 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers) of distance between our planet and its large natural satellite.

This means all moonlight we see is 1.255 seconds old, and a round-trip between the Earth and moon at light speed takes about 2.51 seconds.

This timing is growing every day, however, as the moon is drifting farther from Earth at a rate of about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) per year. (The moon is constantly sapping Earth's rotational energy via ocean tides , boosting its orbit to a greater and greater distance.)

How fast light travels between Earth and Mars

O'Donoghue's third speed-of-light animation illustrates the challenge that many planetary scientists deal with on a daily basis.

When NASA tries to talk to or download data from a spacecraft, such as the InSight probe on Mars , it can do so only at the speed of light. This is much too slow to operate a spacecraft in "live mode" as you would a remote-controlled car. So, commands must be carefully thought out, prepackaged, and aimed at the precise location in space at the precise time so that they don't miss their target.

Read more : NASA can hear the 'haunting' sound of dust devils tearing across Mars with its new $830 million lander

The fastest a conversation could ever happen between Earth and Mars is when the planets are at their nearest point to one another, an event called closest approach that happens once roughly every two years. On average, that best-case-scenario distance is about 33.9 million miles (54.6 million kilometers).

As that 60-second clip of O'Donoghue's full movie on YouTube shows, light takes 3 minutes 2 seconds to travel between Earth and Mars at closest approach. That's six minutes and four seconds for a light-speed round-trip.

But on average, Mars is about 158 million miles from Earth — so the average round-trip communication takes about 28 minutes and 12 seconds.

The speed of light gets more depressing the farther you go

The hurdle of light's finite speed gets even more challenging for spacecraft such as New Horizons, which is now more than 4 billion miles from Earth , and the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft, each of which have reached the space between stars .

The situation gets downright depressing when you start looking outside the solar system. The closest-known exoplanet , called Proxima b, is about 4.2 light-years away from us (a distance of about 24.7 trillion miles or 39.7 trillion kilometers).

However, the fastest any spacecraft has ever gone is NASA's Parker Solar Probe at about 213,200 mph ; at that speed, it'd take 13,211 years to reach Proxima b.

A Russian-American billionaire's Breakthrough Starshot project envisions a way to address this speed problem. The multidecade plan is to build and fly tiny "nanocraft" past such exoplanets via ultrapowerful laser blasts , ideally at a planned cruise velocity of 20% of the speed of light. Yet the entire concept is still theoretical, may end up not working, and would operate at a fraction of light-speed.

Space is impossibly vast. Although the universe is about 13.77 billion years old, its edge is about 45.34 billion light-years away in any direction and is increasing due to expansion .

That's far too big to illustrate in a simple animation. One illustration comes close, though: this image created by musician Pablo Carlos Budassi , which combines logarithmic maps of the universe from Princeton and images from NASA to capture it all in one picture.

This story has been updated.

Watch: What humans will look like on Mars

• Main content

• How Long Does it Take To Get to the Moon?

For us to fully grasp how long it takes to get to the Moon, it is vital to understand the distance between the Moon and the Earth. The average distance between the Moon and the Earth is 238,857 miles. The figures give the average distance because different variables make the distance between the Earth and the Moon to differ from one phase to another, hence affecting how long it takes to get to the Moon. The Moon naturally orbits the Earth in an elliptical path, because of this, sometimes Moon is closer or farther away from Earth, which in turn greatly affects how long it may take to get to the Moon. Different countries have organized missions and traveled to the Moon and the time taken for all the missions have varied considerably.

Unmanned Missions

These are endeavors to the Moon without the physical presence of people onboard to control the movements of the spacecraft. One of the slowest yet advanced missions to the Moon was by the ESA’s SMART-1 which took the longest time ever recorded of one year, one month and two weeks using an ion-propelled engine. The second unmanned mission was the Chang’e-1 which took five days. Chang’e-2 followed on October 1st, 2010 taking four days and 16 hours before arriving in lunar orbit. The next mission launch took place at the end of 2013 becoming the fastest Change mission arriving in the lunar orbit after only four days and 12 hours and 23 minutes.

Manned Missions

With the presence of people onboard, manned missions have been taking a relatively short time to reach the Moon from the Earth's surface. The Apollo mission is the only Moon mission that was manned with renowned astronauts being the first beings to ever set foot on the lunar surface. The Apollo 11 mission took 51 hours and 49 minutes to arrive on the lunar surface back on July 19th, 1969, hence becoming the fastest spacecraft mission to the Moon that had astronauts who then took 1,376 minutes to return.

Fastest Recorded Missions to Date

NASA’s New Horizons Pluto mission was the fastest ever mission that went past the Moon. With a speedy launch that utilized the advanced technological systems, it took the New Horizon 515 minutes to arrive on the lunar surface before venturing on to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. A mission was in 2014 undertaken using a device called ‘Orion Capsule.' It managed to reach different orbits of the Earth and return in 270 minutes breaking significant records. Through calculations, this showed that the Orion mission could reach the lunar in approximately 12 hours after covering an average distance of 238,857 miles. As plans are underway for the creation of space tourism in future, taking into consideration how long it will take to reach the Moon is vital and the type of technologies that will be utilized to make the journey and experience enjoyable and safe.

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How long does it take to get to the moon? Nasa Artemis 1 mission schedule and the moon’s distance from earth

If successful it will break the record for the longest flight without docking at a space station.

Nasa’s Artemis 1 mission has successfully launched.

It will send the uncrewed Orion spacecraft to the moon and back, testing key systems and safety ahead of the crewed mission.

The aim is to get astronauts on the moon by 2024, which will be the first time humans have left the earth’s orbit since 1972.

How long does it take to get to the moon?

The average distance to the moon is 382,500km, and according to Nasa , rockets using current propulsion systems take between 2.5 and four days to arrive at the moon.

This being said, the Artemis mission will spend a great deal longer in space as it has other tasks to complete on the dark side of the moon and beyond.

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Artemis 1 mission schedule

Artemis I launched of the SLS on Wednesday 16 November.

The crewless test mission will send the Orion spacecraft to the moon and back carrying dummies designed to mimic human tissue. A crewed mission is set for 2024.

The 1.3 million mile journey is expected to last 42 days, three hours and 20 minutes. If successful it will break the record for the longest flight without docking at a space station.

The spacecraft will also make a close pass of the lunar surface. Along the way around the moon, Nasa will perform two fly-bys measuring at 62 miles above the rocky surface.

Dr Bhavya Lal, Nasa’s associate administrator for technology, policy, and strategy, said that ultimately the agency wanted to see human settlements “throughout the solar system”.

“The point is that we don’t stop when we have gone to Mars,” she told the Telegraph . “By the time we have thriving settlements on Mars, we probably have enough technology that we can push deeper into space.

“I think that idea is simply that we are not stopping. Our long term strategic visions to have a sustained presence on the Moon, Mars and throughout the Solar System.”

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From Earth to the Moon

The closest look we’ve had at the moon came from the launch of NASA’s Apollo program in the 1960s. Between 1967 and 1972, a series of missions landed the first men on the moon. Equipped with handheld cameras, Apollo astronauts documented their journey, capturing photos of the moon and its rocky terrain through surveys conducted from lunar orbit and on the ground. The collection of moon exploration photos includes up-close views of impact craters, mountain ranges, volcanic channels and maria—dark regions believed to have been formed from molten rock. The images are part of a massive archive of more than 14,000 photos taken by Apollo astronauts.

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Calculate how long it would take to reach planets, stars, or galaxies, as well as fuel mass, velocity and more, journey details.

"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth."

-President John F. Kennedy, 1961

On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union’s satellite Sputnik I orbited the Earth. It was the world's first artificial satellite. On November 3, 1957, the Soviets launched Sputnik II. Included in the payload was a dog named Laika, the first living being sent into space. Initial American attempts to catch up to the Soviet Union’s advances in space ended in failure, inciting widespread public agitation that the United States was falling behind in this new, crucial arena of Cold War competition. But the goal of this competition remained unclear. Before a watchful world, each side sought to demonstrate its superiority through impressive feats in rocketry and spaceflight. Not until 1961, when President John F. Kennedy called for a lunar journey by the end of the decade did landing humans on the Moon become the focus of the space race. 

President Kennedy's decision to land men on the Moon before 1970 required the quickest, most efficient method possible. Three landing schemes were proposed. 

Direct (or direct ascent) utilized a single launch vehicle and one craft to land on the Moon and later return to Earth. This mode required no docking maneuvers in space but did require a larger rocket than was already in development. Such a rocket would have been extremely difficult to complete by 1970. 

Earth Orbit Rendezvous (EOR)

EOR required launching the lunar spacecraft in pieces aboard two rockets and assembling them in Earth orbit. Alternately, the whole spacecraft could be launched to Earth orbit, then a second tanker vehicle would refuel the last stage of the lunar spacecraft’s launch vehicle. The rest of the trip would be the same as Direct—with one spacecraft landing directly on the one and part of it returning to Earth.

Lunar Orbit Rendezvous (LOR)

LOR required two spacecraft sent up on a single launch vehicle. Over the course of a lunar journey, each craft performed a specific part of the mission. After reaching lunar orbit, the lander separated from the main spacecraft and descended to the surface. After performing its function on the surface, the cabin of the lander would lift off for rendezvous with the orbiting mothership, after which the astronauts would return to Earth in the main spacecraft. 

NASA Associate Administrator Robert Seamans and Administrator James Webb selected the Lunar Orbit Rendezvous option in June 1962 after consultation with agency managers. This decision affected the basic design of the major vehicles of the moon journey, particularly the Saturn V rocket and the lunar module. Most importantly, this decision propelled the United States forward in the Space Race, and on July 20th, 1969, President Kennedy's call to land a person on the Moon was successfully met.

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The Full Pink Moon Rises Tomorrow: When Is The Best Time To Watch?

This month’s full Pink Moon will dazzle stargazers tomorrow night (April 23).

The Pink Moon will be on full and best display at exactly 7:49 PM ET tomorrow. But from Earth, we likely won’t notice that it’s at its peak. According to NASA, the moon will look full for three days. So from Monday through Thursday, we’ll all notice a shockingly bright and round moon in the sky.

Unfortunately, the full moon will not look pink as the name suggests. Instead, it will be golden or orange as it usually is.

NASA explained that the term “Pink Moon” originated from Native Americans who associated the monthly moon with the spring flowers Phlox subulata, more commonly known as moss phlox or creeping phlox. The flowers can bloom in multiple colors, but they’re most often a bright pink. And they start popping up in April.

The Maine Farmers’ Almanac began referring to full moons by their Indian names in the 1930s. Pink Moon comes from tribes in the eastern United States. Tribes in other parts of the country dubbed the moon Egg Moon, Fish Moon, or Sprouting Grass Moon.

Some believe the springtime pink full moon is a symbol of letting go. And, just as the season brings rebirth and renewal to nature, it should push us into fresh starts of our own.

Those who take a moment to marvel at the moon may also notice another cosmic spectacle, the Lyrid meteor showe r. While Saturday and Sunday were the best nights to watch for shooting starts, the show will continue for another week.

The meteor shower happens when Earth passes through the C/1861 G1 Thatcher debris field. During the peak nights, it was possible to see up to 100 meteors an hour, but on typical nights, people will see around 10 to 20 per hour. However, the light from the full moon will make the shooting stars less visible.

You can find the source of this story’s featured image here .

The post The Full Pink Moon Rises Tomorrow: When Is The Best Time To Watch? appeared first on InspireMore .

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Why does NASA want a time zone on the moon?

NASA has been tasked with determining a standard time zone for the moon, but it’s more complicated than you might think.

The United States government has tasked its space agency, NASA, with establishing a standard time zone for the moon, which will be known as Coordinated Lunar Time (CLT).

In a memo issued on April 2, the US Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) stated: “Federal agencies will develop celestial time standardisation with an initial focus on the lunar surface and missions operating in Cislunar space [the area within the moon’s orbit], with sufficient traceability to support missions to other celestial bodies.” “Traceability” means that CLT can be kept in sync with time zones on Earth.

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The memo outlined the following features for the new CLT:

• Traceability to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC – a compromise for both English and French speakers);
• Accuracy sufficient to support precision navigation and science;
• Resilience to loss of contact with Earth (meaning CLT can operate independently of Earth); and
• Scalability to space environments beyond the Earth-moon system (meaning other space stations beyond the moon would be able to use CLT as well).

Don’t expect your favourite time zone and calendar apps to have CLT as an option yet; NASA has until the end of 2026 to establish CLT.

Why does the moon need its own time zone?

In layman’s terms, we need a reliable “lunar time” earth-syncing system because lower gravity on the moon causes time to move slightly faster there than on Earth – by just 58.7 microseconds (there are 1 million microseconds in a single second) faster within every 24 Earth hours.

This is not science fiction, even though it is a main feature of Hollywood blockbusters such as Interstellar. Known as “gravitational time dilation”, the passage of time is impacted by gravity.

Although small, these time discrepancies can cause issues with syncing satellites and space stations in lunar orbit.

An unnamed OSTP official told Reuters: “Imagine if the world wasn’t syncing their clocks to the same time – how disruptive that might be and how challenging everyday things become.”

How would we tell time on the moon?

Earth uses UTC or Coordinated Universal Time to sync time zones around the world. UTC is determined by more than 400 atomic clocks that are maintained in national “time laboratories” in about 30 countries around the world. An atomic clock uses the vibrations of atoms to achieve extreme precision in keeping track of time.

Similar atomic clocks would be placed on the moon to get an accurate time reading.

Known as Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT), this precision-timing system allows communications systems to measure and keep accurate timing. The Ordnance Survey, the British organisation that has been producing maps since 1791, explains that PNT has three core elements:

• Positioning – the ability to precisely determine one’s location and orientation, predominantly two dimensionally on a printed map, although three-dimensional orientation can be determined when required.
• Navigation – the ability to determine both the current and desired position (either relative or absolute), and apply corrections to course, orientation and speed to reach a desired position from anywhere in the world, from sub-surface (below the Earth’s surface) to surface, and from surface to space.
• Timing – the ability to maintain accurate and precise time from anywhere in the world.

Does NASA have plans for time zones in other parts of outer space?

Although there has been no mention of time zones on other planets, in 2019, NASA’s Deep Space Atomic Clock (DSAC) mission tested an atomic clock to improve spacecraft navigation in deep space. The DSAC mission, on SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, was launched on June 22, 2019. The rocket tested the atomic clock in Earth’s orbit for one year.

Typically, spacecraft keep accurate time by bouncing signals to atomic clocks on Earth and then the signal is sent back to the spacecraft. In this mission, the on-board atomic clock was tested to keep precise time without relying on this two-way communication between the spacecraft and the atomic clocks on Earth. The accuracy of the timing is tied to getting accurate positioning, while helping the spacecraft reach the intended location in space successfully.

As NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the centre for robotic exploration of the solar system, explains: “A two-way system that sends a signal from Earth to a spacecraft, back to Earth and then to the spacecraft again would take an average of 40 minutes. Imagine if the GPS on your phone took 40 minutes to calculate your position. You might miss your turn or be several exits down the highway before it caught up with you. If humans travel to the Red Planet [Mars], it would be better if the system was one-way, allowing the explorers to immediately determine their current position rather than waiting for that information to come back from Earth.”

The mission successfully ended in 2021, with the on-board atomic clock maintaining the correct timing and navigational positioning.

NASA is giving the moon its own time zone. Why the clock is ticking.

It’s going to start getting crowded on the moon, and we’ll soon need a precise lunar timekeeping system, a shared clock , to coordinate missions and prevent disasters.

Time moves a bit faster on the moon than on Earth because the moon's mass is smaller than that of Earth and its gravity is weaker. That means the moon is going to get its own time zone .

NASA has been asked to establish a unified standard time for the moon and other celestial bodies by the end of 2026. That request came from the White House – specifically the Office of Science and Technology Policy – on April 2.

"The same clock that we have on Earth would move at a different rate on the moon ," said Kevin Coggins, NASA's space communications and navigation chief, in an interview with Reuters.

The difference is slight: 58.7 microseconds per Earth day. (A microsecond is one-millionth of a second.) Microseconds are often used as measurements in electronics, computing and telecommunication applications.

On Earth, Coordinated Universal Time, or UTC , is the standard used to set all time zones around the world. Eastern Time is four hours behind UTC.

The new lunar time zone will be known as Coordinated Lunar Time, or LTC . It's not yet determined whether the moon will have one or multiple time zones.

Why do we need precise time on the moon?

That 58.7 microseconds may not sound like much to worry about. An eye blink, for example, takes 0.1 to 0.4 seconds , or 100,000 to 400,000 microseconds.

But the time discrepancy becomes crucial in space missions, which require perfect precision for communication, tracking and navigation.

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LTC is also needed for secure data transfers between spacecraft and for matched communication among Earth, lunar satellites, bases and astronauts, Reuters reported.

And because future missions will be multinational, all participants will need to be synchronized.

Nations have been using their own standard time in space missions. NASA, for example, used Mission Elapsed Time, or the amount of time from the moment of liftoff, to coordinate space missions.

Where will Coordinated Lunar Time be used?

LTC will be used in operations in cislunar space , the region around the Earth that extends to the moon and past its orbit. It includes:

• The lunar surface.
• Lunar orbits.
• Earth-moon Lagrange points.

Lagrange points are gravity balanced positions in space between two bodies – the Earth and moon, in this example – in which objects such as spacecraft can stay in position. Lagrange points are easy to reach, and many spacecraft use them to perform observations , Space.com says.

Will the moon's time system be similar to that of Earth?

It could be. Earth's UTC uses a group of 450 highly precise atomic clocks in 85 time laboratories around the world. The Office of Science and Technology Policy directive suggests "an ensemble of clocks" on the moon could be used to set up the moon's LTC.

The White House directive also says LTC must have:

• Traceability or a calculated connection to Earth's Coordinated Universal Time.
• Specificity and accuracy to measure very short spans of time, necessary for precise scientific study and spacecraft landings.
• Self-sufficiency , in case connection with Earth is lost.
• Scalability , so other celestial objects or space environments could use it.

NASA will work with the departments of Commerce, Defense, State and Transportation to create and implement the lunar time zone.

NASA also will need to consult the 36 nations that have signed the Artemis Accords , an agreement that spells out countries' activities in space and on the moon.

China and Russia, the two main U.S. rivals in space, have not signed the agreement.

SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; NASA; Office of Science and Technology Policy; European Space Agency; space.com ; itu.int; Florida Today; Center for Strategic and International Studies

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China set to launch high-stakes mission to moon's 'hidden' side

By Albee Zhang and Ryan Woo

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will send a robotic spacecraft in coming days on a round trip to the moon's far side in the first of three technically demanding missions that will pave the way for an inaugural Chinese crewed landing and a base on the lunar south pole.

Since the first Chang'e mission in 2007, named after the mythical Chinese moon goddess, China has made leaps forward in its lunar exploration, narrowing the technological chasm with the United States and Russia.

In 2020, China brought back samples from the moon's near side in the first sample retrieval in more than four decades, confirming for the first time it could safely return an uncrewed spacecraft to Earth from the lunar surface.

This week, China is expected to launch Chang'e-6 using the backup spacecraft from the 2020 mission, and collect soil and rocks from the side of the moon that permanently faces away from Earth.

With no direct line of sight with the Earth, Chang'e-6 must rely on a recently deployed relay satellite orbiting the moon during its 53-day mission, including a never-before attempted ascent from the moon's "hidden" side on its return journey home.

The same relay satellite will support the uncrewed Chang'e-7 and 8 missions in 2026 and 2028, respectively, when China starts to explore the south pole for water and build a rudimentary outpost with Russia. China aims to put its astronauts on the moon by 2030.

Beijing's polar plans have worried NASA, whose administrator, Bill Nelson, has repeatedly warned that China would claim any water resources as its own. Beijing says it remains committed to cooperation with all nations on building a "shared" future.

On Chang'e-6, China will carry payloads from France, Italy, Sweden and Pakistan, and on Chang'e-7, payloads from Russia, Switzerland and Thailand.

NASA is banned by U.S. law from any collaboration, direct or indirect, with China.

Under the separate NASA-led Artemis programme, U.S. astronauts will land near the south pole in 2026, the first humans on the moon since 1972.

"International cooperation is key (to lunar exploration)," Clive Neal, professor of planetary geology at the University of Notre Dame, told Reuters. "It's just that China and the U.S. aren't cooperating right now. I hope that will happen."

SOUTH POLE AMBITIONS

Chang'e 6 will attempt to land on the northeastern side of the vast South Pole-Aitkin Basin, the oldest known impact crater in the solar system.

The southernmost landing ever was carried out in February by IM-1, a joint mission between NASA and the Texas-based private firm Intuitive Machines.

After touchdown at Malapert A, a site near the south pole that was believed to be relatively flat, the spacecraft tilted sharply to one side amid a host of technical problems, reflecting the high-risk nature of lunar landings.

The south pole has been described by scientists as the "golden belt" for lunar exploration.

Polar ice could sustain long-term research bases without relying on expensive resources transported from Earth. India's Chandrayaan-1 launched in 2008 confirmed the existence of ice inside polar craters.

Chang'e-6's sample return could also shed more light on the early evolution of the moon and the inner solar system.

The lack of volcanic activity on the moon's far side means there are more craters not covered by ancient lava flows, preserving materials from the moon's early formation.

So far, all lunar samples taken by the United States and the former Soviet Union in the 1970s and China in 2020 were from the moon's near side, where volcanism had been far more active.

Chang'e-6, after a successful landing, will collect about 2 kilogrammes (4.4 pounds) of samples with a mechanical scoop and a drill.

"If successful, China's Chang'e-6 mission would be a milestone-making event," Leonard David, author of "Moon Rush: The New Space Race", told Reuters. "The robotic reach to the Moon's far side, and bringing specimens back to Earth, helps fill in the blanks about the still-murky origin of our Moon."

(Reporting by Albee Zhang and Ryan Woo. Editing by Gerry Doyle)

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What time is it on the moon? We may soon know, thanks to NASA project

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Scientists are looking to establish a time zone on the moon. A Northeastern physicist explains why time functions slightly differently on the moon.

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From sundials and water clocks to modern atomic timekeeping, methods for telling time on Earth — to mark the divide between night and day, month to year, etc. — have evolved over thousands of years. 

Now, scientists are bringing their technological knowhow to the moon in order to establish time standards there and elsewhere in space. 

The White House has directed NASA “to establish time standards at and around celestial bodies other than Earth,” instructing the agency to “develop celestial time standardization with an initial focus on the lunar surface” by December 2026.

Arun Bansil , university distinguished professor of physics at Northeastern, says that time functions slightly differently on the moon because the gravitational force is weaker there than on Earth.

Northeastern Global News spoke to Bansil to learn more about the science behind the White House’s latest project. His comments have been edited for brevity and clarity. 

Does time behave differently on the moon? What about on other planets?

This is a fascinating question. It may seem bizarre that time fundamentally does not behave the same way on Earth, moon and other parts of the solar system. Two perfectly synchronized clocks will in principle stay synchronized on Earth. But, if we take one of these clocks to the moon, they will no longer remain synchronized. The clock on the moon will gain about 58 microseconds every 24 hours. The clocks are not defective — the time itself runs faster on the moon. This translates into an astronaut living on the moon with a 2-second shorter lifespan compared to Earth, which may not sound like much, but uncertainties of microseconds would wreak havoc in the world of electronic communications between satellites and space stations.

Why does time behave differently on Earth and moon?

The behavior of time is a very tactile, real-world consequence of the great theory of relativity of Einstein. Before Einstein, space and time were considered independent entities, and a second represented the same amount of time elapsing anywhere in the universe. Einstein’s deep insight into the workings of nature changed this classical view of time through his discovery of two revolutionary theories: the Special Theory of Relativity and the General Theory of Relatively.

The Special Theory of Relativity tells us that moving clocks progressively slow down with increasing speed and almost come to a standstill as we approach the speed of light. This effect is difficult to experience in daily life because we only encounter speeds that are minuscule compared to the speed of light, which is 186,000 miles per second. In the atomic world, however, where the particles run around at speeds comparable to the speed of light, large relativistic effects are seen routinely.

The General Theory of Relativity offers another mechanism for the slowing down of time — technically referred to as gravitational time dilation. Gravity can bend space and with it slow down time itself by dilating or stretching the fabric of time. Since larger astronomical objects are typically heavier, the gravity force around them is also greater and so is the associated slowing down of the time. For example, the gravity force on the moon is smaller than on Earth, which results in clocks on Earth running slower than on the moon. The clocks on Jupiter will run even more slowly than on the Earth due the larger mass of Jupiter.

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The actual differences in the behavior of clocks will involve combined effects of gravity and speed and these effects will differ around various astronomical objects and in different parts of the solar system.

How is time synchronized in different parts of Earth and between Earth and moon?  

It is important that the time across the globe be kept highly synchronized to avoid chaos in financial markets and electronic communications more generally. For this purpose, the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on Earth is maintained through a series of more than 400 highly accurate, networked atomic clocks spread over various parts of the world. The most advanced atomic clocks are so precise as to not lose even a second over the age of the universe. As the activity between Earth and moon is growing, it makes sense to develop an accurate standard time zone for the moon, which could be accomplished by placing a network of atomic clocks on the surface of the moon.

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April's full Pink Moon puts on show across the globe

April's full moon is known by many names, according to different native american tribes and cultures around the world..

Time-lapse video shows 'moonbow' shining in middle of the night

File video: The full moon was bright enough early Monday to create a rainbow in the dark of night. (Video courtesy: Greg Johnson / SkunkBayWeather.com)

April's full Moon , known as the Pink Moon, put on a spectacular show across the planet Tuesday night and will remain bright in the night sky through the end of the week.   

This Moon is known by many names, according to different Native American tribes and cultures worldwide. The Maine Farmers' Almanac started using the Native American names for full Moons in the 1930s.

The full moon, which is known as the 'Pink Moon' during April, sets sets behind The Balmoral Clock and Edinburgh Castle. Picture date: Wednesday April 24, 2024. (Photo by Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images) ( )

TOPSHOT - This photograph taken in Paris on April 23, 2024, shows the April's full moonset, also known as the Pink Moon, seen behind the Eiffel Tower. (Photo by Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP) (Photo by STEFANO RELLANDINI/AFP via Getty Images) ( )

This photograph taken in Paris on April 23, 2024, shows the April's full moonset, also known as the Pink Moon, seen behind the Eiffel Tower. (Photo by Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP) (Photo by STEFANO RELLANDINI/AFP via Getty Images) ( )

TOPSHOT - People watch the April's full moonset, also known as the "Pink Moon", rising behind the clouds in Singapore on April 24, 2024. (Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP) (Photo by ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images) ( )

JERSEY CITY, NJ - APRIL 23: The full Pink Moon rises behind the Statue of Liberty in New York City on April 23, 2024, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey.  (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images) ( )

JERSEY CITY, NJ - APRIL 23: The full Pink Moon rises behind the Statue of Liberty in New York City as an airplane flies past on April 23, 2024, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey.  (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images) ( )

MADRID, SPAIN - 2024/04/23: The full moon of April known as the Pink Moon rises over a fire lookout tower. (Photo by Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket via Getty Images) ( )

The full moon, which is known as the 'Pink Moon' during April, sets behind Edinburgh Castle. Picture date: Wednesday April 24, 2024. (Photo by Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images) ( )

WEST SUMATRA, INDONESIA - APRIL 23: April full moon (or Pink Moon) is seen behind a perching egret silhouette in Tanah Datar, West Sumatra, Indonesia, on April 23, 2024. April full moons often coincide with the blooming of certain wildflowers native to eastern North America. (Photo by Adi Prima/Anadolu via Getty Images) ( )

SECAUCUS, UNITED STATES - APRIL 22: The Pink Full Moon rises over the sky in Secaucus, New Jersey, United States on April 20, 2024. (Photo by Islam Dogru/Anadolu via Getty Images) ( )

According to the Farmers' Almanac , the Pink Moon is named for the herb moss pink, also known as creeping phlox, a plant native to the eastern U.S. This bloom is pink and can be a sign of spring. 

HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH THE MOON WITH YOUR PHONE

April's full Moon has other native names, including the Egg Moon, Fish Moon and Sprouting Grass Moon. According to the Hebrew calendar, it's also known as the Passover or Pesach Moon. 

This photograph taken in Paris on April 23, 2024, shows the April's full moonset, also known as the Pink Moon, seen behind the Eiffel Tower.  (Photo by STEFANO RELLANDINI/AFP via Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

A full Moon provides a good opportunity to hone those photography skills.

With the Moon appearing full on the days around its peak , photographers around the world have been capturing views of lunar features with international backdrops from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the Statue of Liberty in New York .