A Japanese robot orbiting 230 miles above the Earth at 17,100mph called home for the first time.

In video released on Thursday (September 5) but filmed two weeks ago, Kiboro, Japan's first robot astronaut, spoke from the International Space Station (ISS).

"On August 21, 2013, robots take their first step towards a shining future," the one kilogram, 34-centimetre-high automaton said as it floated around the ISS.

The researchers behind Kirobo - a compounded word made from the words Kibo, or "hope" in Japanese, and Robot - said this is the first time a robot has spoken from space.

Packaged into an insulated box, Kirobo was deployed to the ISS aboard Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Kounotori 4 cargo transfer on August 4, 2013.

Kirobo arrived at the ISS six days later, and will stay there for about a year and a half, JAXA said.

The robot is set to conduct experiments in space by taking verbal orders from JAXA's astronaut commander Koichi Wakata and by remote-control from earth.

Wakata will also arrive at the ISS towards the end of the year to directly communicate with the robot.

The other astronauts will not be able to interact with the visiting robot unless they speak Japanese, Kirobo's native tongue.

Presented by Adam Justice