Early this morning, crewmembers aboard the International Space Station (ISS) reversed Hēki’s mechanical installation process, removing Hēki from the NanoRacks External Platform (NREP) structure that hosted it, replacing the protective radiator cover, and packing Hēki into the foam “clamshell” that will cushion it from vibration and shock on its journey home. The Hēki team worked with the NREP payload mission management team at Voyager Technologies to develop the procedures for Hēki’s installation and removal. The NREP will now be available to host future experimental payloads.
Hēki will remain in storage on the ISS until mid-year, when it is tentatively scheduled to return to Earth as with other cargo in the SpaceX-34 vehicle. Once the returning capsule is retrieved and unpacked, Hēki will be shipped back to Voyager Technologies’ facility in Houston. Hēki team members will join it there and complete a short functional test before re-packing Hēki for shipment back home to the Paihau-Robinson Research Institute for post-flight analysis, completing the final mission success criterion.
Our team looks forward to welcoming Hēki home after its journey of discovery!
Header Image: astronaut removing Hēki from NREP structure prior to packing it for return to Earth.
Paihau—Robinson Space Blog 
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