Tiny 'artificial star' is launched into orbit from Space Station

Three cubes floated out of the International Space Station last week - including a tiny 'artificial star' designed to beam pulses of light to Earth.

The cubes - 10cm-wide satellites called 'Cubesats' - were released on Thursday.

Space station astronaut Chris Hadfield called the sight 'surreal' as the tiny cubes floated out of the space station.

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Three are visible in the photograph Hadfield Tweeted, captured by on-board instruments on the ISS.

In total, five Cubesats were deployed, each with different scientific missions.

One will use LED pulses to flash Morse code messages to observers on Earth.

The tiny Japanese satellite's light pulses will be visible using binoculars.

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It will beam the phrase 'Hi this is Niwaka Japan,' in Morse Code.

It's the first time a satellite has attempted to communicate in this way. Nasa plans to launch a further 33 cubesats during 2013 and 2014.

Others will take photographs of Earth from their orbit 240 miles up.

Unlike other satellites, Cubesats are built for relatively short periods in orbit.

Within a few months, their orbits will decay and they will burn up in Earth's atmosphere.