Pulsating knocking

Starliner probe makes strange noises

(Bild: AP)

The "Starliner" capsule currently docked to the ISS space station is causing problems for NASA, so two astronauts have to stay in space longer than planned. It has now become known that the spacecraft has started to make strange, spooky, knocking noises ...

Just over a week ago, the US space agency and aircraft manufacturer Boeing postponed the return of the crew of the "Starliner" space capsule until further notice - krone.at reported. Due to problems with the engines and helium leaks, they were considering flying the capsule back to Earth without a crew using an autopilot.

At the weekend, astronaut Barry Eugene "Butch" Wilmore, who had launched the "Starliner" with astronaut Suni Williams to humanity's outpost in space on June 5, reported to the NASA ground station at the Johnson Space Center in Houston that he had heard a "strange noise" coming from the spacecraft.

(Bild: AP)

Noise reminiscent of science fiction films
On an audio recording of the conversation, Wilmore holds a phone up to the speakers so that Mission Control can hear the sound (heard in the video above) he is referring to. There is a spooky, metallic tapping that sounds at regular intervals and is reminiscent of sounds in science fiction films.

(Bild: Boeing Space)

"Butch, it came through," said Mission Control after the noise was not heard the first time. "It was a kind of pulsing sound, almost like a sonar ping." "I'll play it again, then you can scratch your heads and see if you can figure out what's going on," Wilmore replied to the ground station and played the recording again.

Cause still unclear even for NASA
The noise came from the loudspeaker inside the "Starliner", reported Wilson. The ground station told him that his recording would be forwarded and that they would let him know what they found out about it. Fox News has asked NASA and Boeing whether the source of the noise could be identified, but has not yet received an answer.

According to experts, it is possible that the noises coming from loudspeakers inside the Starliner are acoustic feedback loops. However, the exact nature and origin of the knocking sound, which is also reminiscent of the locating signals of an underwater sonar, is still unclear.