Astronaut stuck in space with Sunita Williams reports 'strange noises' from Boeing capsule
NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore, who is stranded with Sunita Williams in space since February, has reported a strange noise coming from the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, adding a new layer of mystery just days before its scheduled autopilot return to Earth. The source and implications of the noise remain under investigation.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who were originally scheduled for a brief weeklong mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in early June, have been stranded there since February due to persistent issues like thruster failures and helium leaks in the Boeing spacecraft. In a new twist to the already troubled mission, Butch recently reported hearing an unusual noise coming from the Starliner spacecraft¡ªjust days before it's set to leave the station and return to Earth on autopilot, deepening the mystery of what might have gone wrong.
Astronaut Butch Wilmore recently contacted Mission Control at Johnson Space Center in Houston to report an unusual noise coming from inside the Boeing Starliner.
In a recorded exchange, Wilmore holds up a phone to the spacecraft's speakers, allowing Mission Control to hear the strange sound¡ªa rhythmic, pulsating noise, reminiscent of a sonar ping.
After initially struggling to pick it up, Mission Control acknowledges, saying, "Butch, that one came through."
Credit: Reuters
Wilmore confirms that the noise is coming from the Starliner's speaker system.
Mission Control assured Wilmore that they will investigate the sound and report back.
Meanwhile, Starliner is scheduled to undock from the ISS without any crew onboard and attempt an autopilot return, with a planned landing in the New Mexico desert.
Why are Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore stuck in space?
The crew worked vein scans and space botany today as @NASA managers provided an update on the @BoeingSpace Crew Flight Test. More... https://t.co/AgYq0Tu1T8 pic.twitter.com/hopQ8lBQD5
¡ª International Space Station (@Space_Station) August 14, 2024
Problems with the Boeing spacecraft are the reason NASA astronauts are stuck in space.
Engineers have now identified five separate helium leaks on the Starliner spacecraft.
Despite these issues, NASA and Boeing remain confident that the leaks won't pose a problem for Starliner's return flight.
The engineering teams have assured that if an emergency return were necessary, Starliner could still safely bring the crew back to Earth.
However, NASA has confirmed that astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams will now return to Earth in a SpaceX vehicle in February next year.
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