Paihau—Robinson Space Blog

Operations Update:

Hēki continues nominal operations, collecting radiation sensor data at a variety of magnetic fields. In parallel, researchers have designed several months of tests to better characterise the performance of Hēki’s magnet and the flux pump which charges it to field. These test activities will continue through the remainder of Hēki’s mission, now scheduled for April 2026.

Hēki installation timelapse video:

The mission management team at Voyager Technologies created this interesting timelapse video from NASA footage showing Hēki’s installation. The video is just over 10 minutes long, and represents highlights of a many-hour process to unpack Hēki, integrate it with the NanoRacks External Platform (NREP) housing, and install the NREP+Hēki on the exterior of the ISS. The frame speed is indicated at the top left of the video and varies between 3x normal speed during the unpacking/integration interior to the ISS to 5x-20x for the exterior activities. Note: there is no sound in the video.

Highlights from the video:

00:00-03:15: Part 1
Interior of ISS: The first part of the video shows astronauts unpacking Hēki and installing it in the Nanoracks External Platform (NREP) structure. As shown in the header image, Hēki – with its black protective cover – is visible in the foreground, while the NREP – which houses Hēki and serves as its mechanical, electrical, and data interface to the ISS – is visible behind Hēki. The interior entrance to the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) airlock is visible in the background of this portion of the video.

Not shown in the video: Hēki is mounted to JEM airlock “slide table” and moved through the airlock to the exterior of ISS. Still images from the first part of that process are available here.

03:16-03:39: Part 2
Exterior of ISS: JEM robotic arm removes NREP+Hēki from the airlock “slide table” and starts its move to its mounting location on the JEM-External Facility (JEM-EF). During this portion, the JEM and its airlock is on the right. Note the clouds passing below as the ISS orbits the Earth!

Image: still from Part 2 of  video, with coloured highlighting applied to differentiate components in the scene: JEM robotic arm (blue), NREP – now housing Hēki  (green), slide table (yellow), and JEM (orange). Credit: NASA

03:40-05:58: Part 3
Exterior of ISS with new camera angle, showing the exterior of the JEM and its airlock behind the NREP. As the arm moves the NREP and rotates it (at about the 05:00 mark), Hēki’s reflective radiator surface is visible.

Image: still from Part 3 of video, with coloured highlighting applied to differentiate components in the scene: JEM robotic arm (blue), NREP – now housing Hēki  (green), and JEM airlock slide table (yellow). Credit: NASA

05:59-08:26: Part 4
Exterior of ISS – Starts with very similar framing to Part 2, but this time with slide table retracted and the robotic arm no longer blocking the view of the JEM-EF structure. The camera then swivels to the left to show part of the NREP at the top of frame and its mounting location on the JEM-EF at the bottom of frame, and then tilts down to show the arm moving the NREP to its mounting location. Finally, the camera zooms in to show the start of the “docking” activity. Note that changes in lighting as the ISS moves out of shadow and into the sun!

Image: still from Part 4 of  video, with coloured highlighting applied to differentiate components in the scene: JEM robotic arm (blue), NREP – now housing Hēki  (green), and JEM-EF mounting location (red). Credit: NASA

08:27-10:12: Part 5
Exterior of ISS from a new angle (opposite Part 4 just above), showing closeup of NREP interface “docking” with its JEM-EF mounting location. Large clamps close to secure the NREP to the JEM-EF, ensuring good mechanical support as well as electrical and data connectivity.

Image: still from Part 5 of  video, with coloured highlighting applied to differentiate components in the scene: JEM robotic arm (blue), NREP – now housing Hēki  (green), and JEM-EF mounting location (red). Credit: NASA

10:12-10:32: Part 6
Exterior of ISS, showing JEM robotic arm retraction from the new-secured NREP prior to start of Hēki operations.