# What time zone do they use in space?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-zone-do-they-use-in-space/33391>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 16, 2000, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-zone-do-they-use-in-space/33391 "2000-09-16T06:09:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Easy\_Tokyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71c47a/32.png) [@Easy\_Tokyo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Easy_Tokyo)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-zone-do-they-use-in-space/33391/1 "2000-09-16T06:09:12Z")

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Do they go with GMT?

Eastern for Cape Kennedy or Central for Houston?

And if so, do the Russians use one of their many time zones?

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**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-zone-do-they-use-in-space/33391/2 "2000-09-16T12:03:38Z")

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If you’re talking about the time system used for managing the mission (communications, record keeping, etc.) I’m sure they use UT (GMT). You need to deal with tracking stations and other participants all over the world, and orbital calculations are always done using UT, so using any other system would be way too inconvenient.

However, I don’t think the sleeping/working schedule is done by UT - that is, they don’t necessarily get up at 07:00 UT. I think they keep the Florida time, but I’m not too sure - anybody?

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**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-zone-do-they-use-in-space/33391/3 "2000-09-16T18:12:30Z")

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The question has already been answered in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=36125) in Comments on Mailbag Answers.

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**Author:** ![Easy\_Tokyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71c47a/32.png) [@Easy\_Tokyo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Easy_Tokyo)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2000, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-zone-do-they-use-in-space/33391/4 "2000-09-24T05:34:49Z")

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Thanks. Thought it might have been covered, but I hadn’t found it before.

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2000, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-zone-do-they-use-in-space/33391/5 "2000-09-24T11:30:55Z")

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… and, of course, here’s the link to the original Mailbag Answer: [What time do astronauts use in space?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/muniversaltime.html)

Since this is asked and answered, any further comments belong in the forum COMMENTS ON CECIL’S COLUMN. So I’m closing this topic here; if you’re interested in pursuing, please start it up again in that forum.