NASA Clarifies Starliner Noise and Technical Issues

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) due to malfunctions in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, reported hearing strange, pulsing noises coming from the Starliner's speakers. NASA quickly clarified that the noise was a benign audio feedback caused by the complex audio configuration between the ISS and the Starliner. Despite multiple technical issues with the Starliner, including thruster malfunctions and helium leaks, NASA assures that the noise poses no risk to the crew or station operations. The astronauts will return to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule in February 2025, while the Starliner will make an uncrewed return to Earth. The incident highlights ongoing challenges with Boeing's spacecraft, which has been plagued with issues since its launch.