ASTROTECH-Streamlining Payload Processing Operations

The Astrotech experience offers clear evidence of the ability of the commercial sector and NASA to work together with close and continuing cooperation to the mutual benefit of not only Government and Industry, but also the launch customer and payload manufacturer communities. Astrotech was able to take advantage of twenty-five years of payload processing experience by others to design and build a conterminous, state-of-the-art payload processing facility. While payload processing is only one part of the total launch operation, the availability of adjacent nonhazardous and hazardous facilities and the demonstrated flexibility of a commercial operator to respond to the unique processing requirements of the individual payload customer and manufacturer serves to facilitate and thereby streamline this portion of the ground operations