Committee advances Celestial Time Standardization Act to create coordinated space time standard

The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology voted to favorably report HR 2313, the Celestial Time Standardization Act, a bill intended to direct federal agencies to develop a coordinated celestial time standard to support operations on and around the moon and other celestial bodies.

Supporters argued a common time standard will be important for future missions and multinational operations. “This bill will lead to the establishment of a basic but critical conceptual tool for future operations and infrastructure on and around the moon and other celestial bodies,” a committee member said, thanking former committee colleague Representative McClellan for introducing the measure.

No amendments were prefiled. The committee moved and approved reporting HR 2313 to the House with a favorable recommendation by voice vote; the transcript records the motion and that the ayes prevailed. The markup record does not specify implementation funding, which agencies beyond NASA or OSTP will carry out particular tasks, or a House floor schedule.

If enacted, the bill would create a framework for coordination among U.S. agencies and international partners to standardize position, navigation, timing, communications, and research activities in space; committee discussion emphasized coordination as the bill’s objective rather than detailed technical specifications.