Washington, Jul 1 (UNI/Sputnik): The United States has secretly launched a satellite from the International Space Station (ISS), according the space-track.org website, citing American Air Force data.
The device, cataloged as BD-28, was launched into orbit from the ISS. The details on when and how it happened were not officially reported. Usually, satellites from the US segment of the ISS are launched from platforms that are moved outside the station by manipulators.
American astronomer from the Center for Astrophysics Jonathan McDowell suggested on Twitter that the satellite may belong to a private US company that does not want to attract attention to its activities.
The 65th expedition currently aboard the ISS consists of Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrov, NASA astronauts Mark Vande Hei, Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide (station commander) and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet.(UNI)