Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli airstrike targets the vicinity of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, west of Gaza City
Al-Qassam: We will postpone the handover of the body of the Israeli captive we found, which was scheduled for today, due to the occupation's violations
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Israeli occupation aircraft launch airstrikes on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip
Netanyahu's office: At the end of the security consultations, the prime minister instructed the military to launch massive military strikes on the Gaza Strip immediately
President Aoun: We urge the activation of the monitoring committee, the cessation of hostilities, ongoing Israeli violations, attacks
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to US Envoy Morgan Ortagus: Southerners must be enabled to return to their homes and rebuild
Syrian sources: The Israeli occupation has begun withdrawing from the areas it infiltrated last night in the Quneitra countryside.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Massive bombings in eastern Gaza, the second within half an hour, and its sound was heard from central area.
Russian air defense units destroyed a drone that was heading toward Moscow.
Maduro: Tomorrow, a business meeting will be held bringing together hundreds of entrepreneurs from advanced Russian industries with hundreds of Venezuelan businesspeople.

'Strange noise' from Boeing Starliner aircraft, NASA astronauts report

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 3 Sep 2024 08:46
3 Min Read

The astronauts are expected to return back to Earth in February in a capsule built by SpaceX.

Listen
  • x
  • NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams wave ahead of the first Boeing Starliner crewed flight on June 5, 2024. (AFP)
    NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams wave ahead of the first Boeing Starliner crewed flight on June 5, 2024. (AFP)

NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore reported a "strange noise" on the Boeing Starliner space aircraft, leaving him and colleague Suni Williams stuck in space six months longer than expected following their launch in June. 

“I’ve got a question about Starliner,” Wilmore said, radioing mission control in Houston on Saturday. “There’s a strange noise coming through the speaker … I don’t know what’s making it.”

The astronaut reported a pulsing sound from the capsule's speaker. However, this is not the first problem Wilmore and Williams have faced since blasting off, encountering helium leaks and propulsion issues.

The source of the pulsing noise on the spacecraft is believed to stem from a feedback loop between the space station and the Starliner.

“Alright Butch, that one came through,” Mission Control told Wilmore during their probe when the astronaut placed his microphone up to the speaker.

“It was kind of like a pulsing noise, almost like a sonar ping.” Wilmore radioed back, adding, “I’ll let y’all scratch your heads and see if you can figure out what’s going on … Call us if you figure it out.”

The space aircraft is set to return to Earth on September 6, landing in New Mexico through autopilot while the astronauts are expected to return in February in a capsule built by Boeing competitor SpaceX.

Related News

NASA bars Chinese nationals from programs, research access

US main driver of space militarization, security threat: China FM

To accommodate Wilmore and Williams, two NASA astronauts scheduled to join the International Space Station will be excluded from a mission later this month.

The strange sound was captured and shared by Michigan-based Meteorologist Rob Dale and initially reported by Ars Technica. The report highlighted that audio difficulties on a spacecraft were not an unusual occurrence. 

Astronauts stuck in orbit to return in February, NASA says

NASA announced in late August that the two astronauts, Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, who have been stuck on the International Space Station for months, will return to Earth on a SpaceX-crewed Dragon flight in February.

This was decided after consultations and reviews with Bill Nelson, the agency administrator, all of which later determined that a return on their initial spacecraft, Boeing’s Starliner, included too many uncertainties after leaks and failed thrusters were discovered. 

Butch and Suni boarded the Boeing Starliner on June 6 before it was approved by NASA, and were scheduled for an eight-day trip which soon turned into months of waiting amid the dysfunction of the craft's thrusters as it first tried docking. 

Both astronauts have since taken part in space maintenance and have reportedly recorded over 100 hours of work across 42 different projects. 

Currently, four out of the five thrusters have regained function. The Associated Press explained that the thrusters' role was to ensure the correct positioning of the craft after it undocks. 

On August 2, Boeing announced that it had extensively tested the propulsion system of its Starliner spacecraft, confirming that 27 of 28 thrusters were fully operational. Despite these improvements, Boeing, which has faced challenges competing with SpaceX and incurred $1.6 billion in losses on the Starliner program, will bring the spacecraft back uncrewed in September.

  • Space
  • Outer space
  • astronauts
  • NASA

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Delta Air Lines flight lands at Harry Reid International Airport, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Las Vegas (AP)
Politics

Nearly 3,800 US flights disrupted amid ongoing government shutdown

FILE - The Amazon logo is pictured at the Amazon Robotic Sorting Fulfillment Center in Madison County, Miss., Aug. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
Economy

Amazon to cut 30,000 jobs in largest layoff in company history

Eurofighter Typhoon Spain's Air Force fighter jets fly above the military parade marking 'Día de la Hispanidad', or Hispanic Day, in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP)
Politics

UK sells 20 Eurofighter jets to Türkiye in £8bln defense agreement

Smoke billows after drone strikes by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeted the northern port in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, Sudan, May 6, 2025 (AP)
Politics

RSF tighten El Fasher siege as Sudan risks fragmentation: Reuters

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS