Refine Your Search

Search Results

Technical Paper

The Architecture of Time: Design Implications for Extended Space Missions

2004-07-19
2004-01-2533
Architecture is about designing space for people to live and work in. Horology and calendrics are about designing time systems for people to live by. They could collectively be called “time architecture.” To understand the design implications of the architecture of time requires a working knowledge of astronomy and mathematics, as well as a thorough understanding of how cultures have designed and used time throughout history. Time architecture is at the intersection of the space, the biomedical, and the social sciences. Timekeeping issues of human activities on the Moon and on Mars bring the considerations of time architecture into focus. The length of the Martian sol is close enough to that of the Earth day to serve as a useful regulator of the diurnal rhythms of humans on Mars, as well as other species we will bring with us. This is in stark contrast to the Moon’s 29-day cycle of day and night, which is far too long to serve such a purpose.
X