What does this actually mean? What does " prelaunch processing" cover?Will NASA just be handing over responsibility for the payloads earlier in the process of SpaceX launching them going forward?
What does "fixed price" mean in this context? has anyone here read the contract yet? Does the contract specify a list of well-defined services, each with a fixed price?
I just saw this referenced from elsewhere, so sorry to necropost this, but to me this doesn't make much sense. If it's a SpaceX launch why does Astrotech even get the right to insert themselves between NASA/DoD and SpaceX? This kind of smells and doesn't make much sense. Does the new contract that Astrotech got only cover launches on non-SpaceX vehicles? Why were all these Falcon-variant missions (see link) processed by Astrotech rather than SpaceX? This looks like extra cost to the tax payer for no benefit. https://www.astrotech.com/mission-history
Astrotech doesn't have a "right" nor are they "inserted", they are chosen to used by NASA (this is not a DOD contract).
The contract is launch vehicle agnostic. There are many reasons to use Astrotech over SpaceX facilities but the major driver is that SpaceX doesn't want to host spacecraft that need more than 4 weeks from launch site arrival to launch.
Also, SpaceX facilities were also not available or couldn't meet the requirement for certain missions. SpaceX facilities catered more towards commercial comsats.
Also, there is not a big cost difference. It also would be cheaper if the government used its own facilities.
1. My statement was based on the fact that DOD missions are included on the Astroscale mission list.2. Are you claiming that SpaceX would need to also process spacecraft not launching on SpaceX vehicles?3.What capabilities are offered by Astroscale that NASA requires but that are not offered by SpaceX?4. Disagree on the second point there, but how do you know it's not a big cost difference? The contract doesn't specify the mission quantity. Only the maximum contract value.