US astronaut Barry Wilmore made an unusual call to NASA ground crew members on Saturday, seeking assistance with a perplexing repetitive knocking sound originating from the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The conversation was shared by a NASA Space Flight forum member, who posted a recording of the interaction that was subsequently discovered by Ars Technica. Wilmore requested the crew in Houston to set up their communication so he could demonstrate the noise, which he identified as emanating from the speaker within the Starliner. An unsettling repetitive clanging noise, reminiscent of eerie “there’s-something-on-the-wing” vibes, could be distinctly heard during the call. A ground crew member likened the sound to “almost like a sonar ping.”
Possible Explanations for the Sound
The enigmatic noise could potentially have a mundane origin, such as a specific type of feedback loop, according to one Reddit user’s comparison. Despite the eerie connotations, neither Wilmore nor the NASA ground team member appeared overly alarmed by the situation, likening it to the disconcerting Ganado theme from Resident Evil 4. Boeing’s Starliner is presently set to undock on September 6th for an automated, uncrewed return to Earth, thereby leaving Wilmore and fellow astronaut Sunita Williams behind on the International Space Station until early next year.
The strange knocking sound from NASA’s Boeing Starliner presents a fascinating yet perplexing phenomenon that has garnered attention from space enthusiasts worldwide. While the exact cause of the noise remains unclear, the collaboration between astronauts and ground crew in addressing the issue showcases the meticulous attention to detail and problem-solving skills required in space exploration. As the Starliner prepares for its upcoming undocking and return to Earth, the mystery surrounding the peculiar sound adds an intriguing chapter to the ongoing saga of human spaceflight.
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