The Boeing Starliner embarked on its journey to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5, despite initial delays caused by issues with the rocket and service module. Recently, astronaut Butch Wilmore reported an unexpected sonar-like pulsing noise emanating from the Starliner, currently docked to the ISS. NASA is investigating the source of these sounds, which are not believed to be a serious concern.
Sam Wilmore’s discovery adds to the already checkered history of the Starliner. Its mission is to facilitate astronaut transportation to the ISS, as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, functioning alongside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. Starliner has been attached to the ISS for almost three months, a period marked by several challenges.
On August 31, Wilmore contacted NASA’s Mission Control in Houston after noticing the peculiar noise from a speaker within the Starliner. Mission Control verified the sound using a hardline connection, confirming the pulsing, sonar-like noise. Although the cause remains unidentified, noises in space can be attributed to factors like structural changes or electromagnetic interference.
The occurrence is reminiscent of an incident during the Apollo 10 mission in 1969, when astronauts reported a mysterious whistling they termed “space music.” That anomaly was later attributed to interference between the spacecraft’s radios.
This unnerving noise is yet another hurdle for the Starliner, which has faced multiple setbacks, including helium leaks and thruster issues during its first crewed flight. Given these issues, NASA has opted to have the Starliner return to Earth autonomously on September 6, without its original crew. Wilmore and Sunita Williams, another astronaut currently on the ISS, are now slated to come back to Earth aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft next February.
The Starliner was carried into space by an Atlas V rocket. Interestingly, while Boeing grapples with these technical hiccups, it also faces scrutiny for its aerospace endeavors. The latest development adds to the string of challenges, coinciding poorly with the company’s broader struggles.
As NASA continues to investigate, the aerospace community remains attentive, keen to uncover the mystery behind the strange sonar-like pulses and looking forward to the Starliner’s safe autonomous return.
