It's a "low cost" space project so we have to make some choices
Especially with the cubesats now there is some demand for electronics that are resilient enough to go to space for a few years, but not as expensive as the full space grade thing.
We do have vias in pads elsewhere on that PCB, but the vias for that PCB manufacturing process are bigger than the pads for that component.
If it doesn't solder well we may have to do as you say and put vias in pads there too, but with vias this size it will probably be costly.
I don't remember what the vias are filled with here, I'll have to check. IIRC another problem with resin filled vias for space is that if an air bubble is trapped in the resin, the via will explode when coming to the vacuum. Resins are also usually not allowed for outgasing reasons.