NASA has resolved the mystery behind the strange sound heard from the Boeing Starliner spacecraft during its manned mission, which launched on June 5, 2024. The noise, described as a “pulsating” sound similar to sonar, was determined to be caused by feedback from the spacecraft’s speakers. NASA confirmed that the sound originated from an interaction between the Starliner and the International Space Station (ISS) and reassured that the feedback posed no risk to the mission.
Incident Overview
The issue was first reported by astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore, who was aboard the Starliner when he noticed the unusual sound while communicating with Mission Control. NASA took the report seriously and immediately conducted an investigation. The agency later clarified in a statement that speaker feedback is a common occurrence and that it did not impact the spacecraft’s technical systems or the mission’s success.
Former astronaut Chris Hadfield weighed in on the situation via X (formerly Twitter), noting that such noises are typically undesirable in space. However, NASA confirmed that the feedback had ceased, and the spacecraft’s scheduled return to Earth remained on track.
Mission Status and Return
Originally, the Starliner mission was set to last about 10 days, but it was extended due to issues with the thruster system. Consequently, NASA has scheduled astronauts Wilmore and Sunita Williams to return to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft in February 2025, rather than the Starliner.
The Boeing Starliner is set to undock from the ISS at 6:04 p.m. EDT (3:34 a.m. IDT) on September 6, 2024. The unmanned capsule is expected to land at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, marking the conclusion of a mission that faced several challenges.
