In a recent turn of events, NASA astronauts stuck in space Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), have reported hearing strange noises emanating from the Boeing Starliner capsule. The spacecraft, which has been docked at the ISS since June 6, 2024, was initially scheduled for a short stay but has remained in orbit due to technical issues.
The peculiar sounds were first noticed by astronaut Butch Wilmore on August 31, 2024. During a routine check, Wilmore reported hearing a “pulsing noise, almost like a sonar ping” coming from the Starliner’s speakers.
He immediately contacted Mission Control at Johnson Space Center in Houston to relay his observations.
“There’s a strange noise coming through the speaker… I don’t know what’s making it,” Wilmore stated.
NASA Astronauts Stuck in Space Say There are ‘Strange Noises’ Coming from Starliner Capsule
Mission Control, intrigued by the unusual report by NASA astronauts stuck in space, requested Wilmore to hold a device to the speakers, allowing them to hear the sound. The recording, which has since been shared widely, has left experts scratching their heads.
“I’ll do it one more time and let you all scratch your heads and see if you can figure out what’s going on,” Wilmore tells Mission Control, playing the sound one more time.
Former astronaut Chris Hadfield commented on the situation, noting that there are several noises one would prefer not to hear inside a spaceship, and this is certainly one of them.
There are several noises I’d prefer not to hear inside my spaceship, including this one that @Boeing Starliner is now making. pic.twitter.com/NMMPMo5dtt
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) September 1, 2024
The Starliner capsule, which launched on June 5, 2024, for its first-ever crewed mission, has faced multiple challenges. Initially expected to return to Earth within ten days, the mission was extended due to a thruster issue and subsequent helium leaks discovered aboard the spacecraft.
NASA and Boeing decided it was too risky to return the astronauts on the Starliner, opting instead to keep them at the ISS until a safer alternative could be arranged.
As the Starliner prepares for its autonomous return to Earth on September 6, 2024, without its crew, the strange noises add another layer of mystery to an already complex mission.
NASA astronauts stuck in space, Wilmore and Williams, are set to remain at the ISS for another six months, with their return planned aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule in February 2025.
The source of the noises remains unknown, and NASA continues to investigate. For now, the astronauts are safe, and the space community watches with bated breath as the Starliner embarks on its journey back to Earth.
