Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore report strange noise in Boeing's Starliner

The Nasa astronauts reported a pulsating sound coming from the faulty Starliner spacecraft just days ahead of its scheduled unmanned departure from the ISS for its return to Earth

In what appears like mounting troubles for the stranded Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, the astronaut duo has reported hearing "strange noises" emanating from the faulty Starliner capsule.

This development surfaces just days ahead of the scheduled departure of the uncrewed Starliner from the station for its return to Earth. According to a Fox News report, the audio captures a rhythmic, pulsating sound occurring at regular intervals.

‘Like a sonar ping’, says Butch Wilmore

With a considerable journey ahead before reaching Earth, the seasoned astronauts, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), have described the noise as a "pulsing noise, almost like a sonar ping," according to a recording first shared by meteorologist Rob Dale.

"Butch, that one came through," Mission Control remarked after missing it initially.

"It was kind of like a pulsating noise, almost like a sonar ping," they further explained.

Wilmore offered to replay the sound, giving Mission Control another opportunity to assess the source. He confirmed that the noise originated from the Starliner’s internal speaker.

"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 stated to Mission Control, replaying the sound, as captured in the recording.

Wilmore reiterated that the sound was coming from the Starliner’s internal speaker.

An odd occurrence or something more serious?

As reported by Ars Technica, astronauts frequently encounter unusual sounds while in space. The sonar-like noise detected over the weekend is probably not too complicated, and Wilmore did not seem especially worried. However, these peculiar noises are noteworthy given the ongoing difficulties Boeing and Nasa have faced with the Starliner, including helium leaks and thruster issues during crewed flights.

Mission Control has not yet commented to the media, but in the recording, they assured the astronauts that they would investigate the audio and relay their findings. Wilmore confirmed again that the noise was coming from the Starliner's speaker.

Butch and Williams stranded in orbit

Originally planned as a one-week mission aboard Boeing's Starliner, Sunita Williams and Wilmore have seen their stay aboard the ISS extended due to technical setbacks, including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions.

Their return is now scheduled for February 2025, when they will make their way back to Earth in a SpaceX Dragon capsule. During their prolonged stay, Williams and Wilmore have continued to engage in scientific research and carry out maintenance tasks. Williams, a veteran astronaut with over 400 days in space, has played a pivotal role in various projects and experiments on the station.