Kirobo, World's First Talking Robot Launched Successfully by Japan into Space [VIDEO]

Japan launched the world's first talking humanoid 'robot astronaut' successfully into space aboard a Japanese cargo ship August 3, to serve as a companion to the first Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, who will arrive in November.

The humanoid robot astronaut dubbed 'Kirobo' was launched by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency at 3.48 p.m. EDT from the Tanegashima Space Center in Southern Japan. The knee high talking robot was blasted off into space along with 3.5 tons of supplies and equipment for the crew of the space station.

With red boots and a black and white body, the first robot astronaut 'Kirobo' derives its name from the Japanese words 'hope' and 'robot'. The Japanese research laboratory module aboard ISS is called 'Kibo' so kirobo is an amalgamation of kibo and robot, reports NBC News.

Kirobo was blasted off in to space inside a Japanese unmanned HTV-4 cargo vessel called Kounotori, atop Japan's H-IIB Launch Vehicle in the early hours of Sunday morning. The spacecraft is expected to arrive at the space station on August 9.

The childlike robot Kirobo that was inspired by the 'Astro Boy', an animation character, is 13.4 inches tall and weighs two pounds. It will spend 18 months aboard ISS. This robot is designed to serve as a companion and will communicate with the other robots on Earth. It can communicate in Japanese and will store a record of all the conversations with the astronaut Wakata, who will take over as ISS commander in November. It will also relay messages from the control room to the astronaut.

The other robot on Earth is Kirobo's twin, Mirata, who will monitor any problem or malfunction the pair encounter during their mission in space. Both the robots are equipped with voice and face recognition technology. They are also fitted with cameras, language processor and software that recognizes emotions.

"Kirobo will remember Mr Wakata's face so it can recognise him when they reunite up in space. I wish for this robot to function as a mediator between a person and machine, or a person and the Internet, and sometimes even between people," said the robot's designer, Tomotaka Takahashi, University of Tokyo.

Kirobo's launch was broadcast live on August 3.

The major challenge the creators faced while designing the talking robot was to make it compatible with space. In order to ensure Kirobo's reliability, several tests were conducted over nine months. Some of which included the robot's ability to communicate in low gravity environment, gravity test, compatibility of kirobo's power system with the ISS power system and its ability move in a parabolic flight test, reports the  iDigital Times.

All the Kirobo fans can track his mission online through Twitter @Kibo_robo.