‘Scratch your heads’: NASA explains “strange” sound reported by stranded astronaut

NASA has revealed the source of a ‘strange pulsing’ sound on the Boeing Starliner reported by a stranded US astronaut.

The source of a “strange” noise reported by one of the stranded US astronauts who travelled to space on the troubled Boeing Starliner, has been revealed by NASA.

Veteran astronaut Butch Wilmore, who is stuck on the International Space Station with fellow astronaut Suni Williams, reported the ‘head-scratching’ noise coming from the Starliner on Saturday.

In an audio recording shared on the NASA Space Flight forums, Wilmore can be heard radioing Mission Control at Johnson Space Centre and asking about the mysterious noise.

“I’ve got a question about Starliner … there’s a strange noise coming through the speaker,” Williams is heard asking on the call.

“I don’t know what’s making it.”

Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams are stuck on the International Space Station. Picture: Handout / NASA / AFP

After configuring the line for audio, Williams went silent and allowed the clanging noise – reminiscent of submarine radar – to play out over the line.

“Butch, that one came through. It was kind of like a pulsating noise, almost like a sonar ping,” Mission Control said.

“Yeah, I’ll do it one more time, and I’ll let y’all scratch your heads and see if you can figure out what’s going on,” said Wilmore.

Mission Control confirmed they would pass the recording onto the team and get back to the astronaut about the source of the noise.

Wilmore reported the mysterious noise coming from Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on Saturday. Picture: NASA

The audio recording on the noise was shared on X by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who was the commander of the ISS in 2013.

“There are several noises I’d prefer not to hear inside my spaceship, including this one that Starliner is now making,” he wrote, alongside the audio clip.

Many were quick to offer up some wild and witty theories about the source of the noise in the comments.

“Everything is fine. It’s just the heartbeat of the thing clinging to the outside making noise …” one person joked.

“Could Starliner be haunted by a space ghost?” said another.

“That is some Stanley Kubrick level horror show right there,” another wrote.

“Has anyone checked the smoke alarm battery?” another quipped.

In a statement on Monday, NASA confirmed the “pulsing sound” has stopped and revealed a more technical explanation for the noise – audio feedback.

“The feedback from the speaker was the result of an audio configuration between the space station and Starliner,” a statement shared to X read.

“The space station audio system is complex, allowing multiple spacecraft and modules to be interconnected, and it is common to experience noise and feedback.”

It confirmed the noise had no technical impact on the crew, the craft or station operations.

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore blastered to the International Space Station (ISS) on Boeing’s Starliner on June 5. Picture: Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP

The Boeing Starliner is currently scheduled to undock on September 6 and begin its return to Earth without crew.

Wilmore and Williams had left Earth on the craft on June 5 for what was supposed to be an eight-day mission.

But after the Starliner experienced a number of issues, including failed thrusters and several leaks of helium, NASA confirmed the pair are now expected to return to Earth in February on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft due to launch next month.

“The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing’s Starliner home unscrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said last week.

“I’m grateful to both the NASA and Boeing teams for all their incredible and detailed work.”

Originally published as ‘Scratch your heads’: NASA explains “strange” sound reported by stranded astronaut