Just when Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is preparing to come back to Earth without NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore (who are stuck at the International Space Station) Wilmore has reported hearing strange noises from the Starliner. As reported by US media, these are pulsating sounds just a like sonar. Some media reports have even said that the sounds make you feel like someone is knocking on the spacecraft from the outside.
An account on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) claims to have obtained 'unaltered' audio of conversation between Butch Wilmore and NASA. During the conversation, Wilmore can be heard playing the recording of the strange sound to NASA official back on Earth, who in turn tells him that NASA would carry out more investigation to find out source of the sound and also whether it was indicative of any danger.
Field day on social media
Social media users were amused at the noises. Many offered their opinion about what the sounds may be of.
"Probably space whales?" said one user.
Many of them sure that humanity had FINALLY got irrefutable proof of existence of aliens.
"...maybe it's a message," commented a user who wondered why intervals between the pulses were not all same.
Some users said that the Starliner was 'haunted'.
Some people also offered expert advice on how to sort out the issue.
"...Did they try to turn off and back on again," said a post.
Starliner is likely to return to Earth on Friday. The spacecraft of the aerospace major Boeing took Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to ISS for what was to be about a week-long mission. But both of the NASA astronauts are now stranded since Starliner developed problems and Boeing, along with NASA, was not able to sort out issues from Earth. The spacecraft will return to Earth without the astronauts, who will come back in 2025.
Issues with the Straliner has led to embarrassment for Boeing who is already under fire for plane crashes and malfunctions.
