There’s a strange noise coming from Boeing’s Starliner, and social media has taken note

A crew member aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft recently reported hearing mysterious sonar-like sounds, adding an unexpected twist to the mission. The sounds, audible only through a speaker inside the spacecraft, resembled the sonar pings heard in submarines or tapping noises from outside the vessel. The origin of these unusual noises remains unknown, fueling speculation and curiosity across social media.

The incident came to light when U.S. astronaut Barry Wilmore, who was on board the Starliner, contacted NASA’s ground crew to report the strange occurrence. He described the sound as a repetitive knocking, which he could hear through one of the spacecraft’s speakers. A recording of this exchange was captured and later shared by a member of the NASA Space Flight forum, allowing the broader public to hear the eerie noise themselves. In the recording, Wilmore asked the NASA team in Houston to adjust their call settings so he could demonstrate the sound more clearly. The ground crew, after listening to the noise, compared it to a “sonar ping,” though they, like Wilmore, appeared relatively unconcerned by it.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the sound’s source, it has sparked a wave of reactions online. While some social media users took a lighthearted approach, joking that Boeing might be employing supernatural forces for the Starliner or suggesting the presence of trapped souls inside the spacecraft, others drew comparisons to scenes from popular science fiction movies like Alien and Star Trek. Not all responses were rooted in humor or fantasy, though. Many users speculated about potential technical reasons for the noise.

Among the more plausible explanations put forward was the possibility of electromagnetic interference (EMI) or radiofrequency interference (RFI) from systems aboard either the International Space Station (ISS) or the Starliner itself. Another theory suggested that the sound might be the result of an audio feedback loop, possibly caused by issues with the spacecraft’s speaker and microphone setup or a problem within the communication system.

This incident adds to the Starliner’s already troubled journey as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The spacecraft has encountered several mechanical problems during its mission to the ISS. Originally planned as an eight-day mission, the journey was marred by multiple engine failures and helium leaks, leaving two astronauts stranded on the space station. The Starliner is now slated to return autonomously to Earth on Friday, with Wilmore and fellow astronaut Sunita Williams scheduled to come back next February aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft, which is expected to launch with just two astronauts later this month. This series of events has raised questions about the future reliability of the Starliner and its role in NASA’s space missions moving forward.