NASA Astronaut Reports Mysterious Sounds from Boeing Starliner in Space

A NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) has raised concerns after reporting a series of “strange noises” emanating from the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. This unsettling discovery comes just days before Starliner is scheduled to autonomously return to Earth.

Strange Noises Captured

On Saturday, astronaut Butch Wilmore contacted Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, to discuss the unusual sounds he had been hearing. In an effort to convey the peculiar audio, Wilmore held his phone up to the speakers, allowing Mission Control to listen in. The recording revealed a rhythmic, pulsating noise that resonated at consistent intervals, reminiscent of a sonar ping.

“Butch, that one came through,” a Mission Control operator responded after initially missing the sound. “It was kind of like a pulsating noise.” Wilmore offered to play the sound again, encouraging the team to investigate its origin.

Investigation Underway

Following the second playback, Mission Control assured Wilmore that they would analyze the recording and provide feedback on their findings. Wilmore specified that the noise was coming from a speaker located inside the Starliner capsule.

The peculiar audio was first highlighted by Ars Technica, which referenced a recording shared by Michigan-based meteorologist Rob Dale. In light of these developments, Fox News Digital has reached out to both Mission Control and Boeing for updates on the status of the investigation into the source of the noise.

Starliner’s Upcoming Mission

Despite the unsettling reports, Starliner is set to undock from the ISS soon and will attempt an automated return, targeting a landing in the New Mexico desert. NASA determined it was too risky to bring astronauts Wilmore and Suni Williams back until February, citing complications that have plagued the mission, including thruster failures and helium leaks.

This mission was initially planned for early June and was supposed to last a week. Boeing has been under significant pressure to ensure Starliner’s success, as the company had hoped that this crewed flight would revitalize its troubled spacecraft program, which has faced numerous delays and rising costs. Despite recent thruster tests yielding positive results, uncertainties remain regarding the Starliner’s safety.

Contributions to this report were made by the Associated Press.