IS THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION NOISY?

LET'S FIND OUT

You'dthinkthatsoaringaroundEarthonthe International SpaceStationwould be prettyquiet, butitturnsoutlifeaboardhumanity's orbital outpostissurprisinglynoisy — albeit in thatcomforting, white-noisesort of way. This, straightfromcommander Chris Hadfield'stwitter, is a recordingtakenfrominsidethe U.S. lab of the ISS:

https://soundcloud.com/colchrishadfield/space-station-noise

Hadfield describes theambientnoise as being "somewhatnoisy," butthat "thesounds are of theenvironmentthatkeepsusalive. Perhapslike in thewomb.

The ISS is a noisy place. Tobettercharacterizetheacousticenvironment as itchangeswithassembly, the International SpaceStationAcousticMeasurementProgram (ISS Acoustics) has collected data frombefore a permanentcrewoccupiedthe ISS. Theexperiment uses one B&K Type 2260 SoundLevel Meter (SLM) and threeAmetek Mark I audio (acoustic) dosimetersto monitor the ISS acousticnoiseenvironment. 

Forpeacefulsilence, saysHadfield, astronautsneedonlytakethemselvesoutside the ISS:"Spacewalks are whisper-quiet, just radio comm and yourownbreath."