General tips for a quick biome hopper?

[fourfa]

@Warzouz's lander is IMHO the natural design for a low-tech reusable lander.  For some reason, I end up focusing on maximum smallness (I like to cram everything in Mk3 bays in the late game) and always converge on something like this:

https://kerbalx.com/fourfa/Dragonfly-Micro-Lander

[WanderingKid]

1 hour ago, fourfa said:

@Warzouz's lander is IMHO the natural design for a low-tech reusable lander.  For some reason, I end up focusing on maximum smallness (I like to cram everything in Mk3 bays in the late game) and always converge on something like this:

I love the design... I'd HATE to have to refuel that.  I think that's what leans me away from a lot of nice looking lander designs using Oscars and Toroidal tanks.

[fourfa]

Good point - it would be a pain if I didn't use a fuel pump mod to automatically refuel from a larger tank.  Also I've been using welded parts to combine those 4 tank modules into one.

[bewing]

Quick note about the science robber -- Unity has intrinsic bugs for any craft with more than 20 landing legs or wheels. Worse bugs than just the normal microbouncing. Science robber has 24 ... so I'd strongly advise getting rid of 4 legs.

 

[Cunjo Carl]

Thank you very much, @bewing. This is something I'd much rather not have learned the hard way.

[Warzouz]

@fourfa, those toroidale tanks are very nice because they are so compact, they auto clip into each other. Further more, they look nice

[Spricigo]

On 25/03/2017 at 4:20 PM, fourfa said:

Good point - it would be a pain if I didn't use a fuel pump mod to automatically refuel from a larger tank.  Also I've been using welded parts to combine those 4 tank modules into one.

I'd like to also advertise Dmagic's EVA Resource transfer , it requires a engineer to plug the hose instead of docking, but have the same advantage of refuelling all the tanks at once.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

On 3/24/2017 at 1:48 PM, Spricigo said:

 

Since your main concern its how much real time it takes I'd say to get all scientific instruments you can unlock and a scientist and strap it to a big enough fuel tank with a big enough engine. Add a strong reaction wheel and probecore with SAS for convenience. @Warzouz example even have some luxuries  I would not bother to add

 

I actually would use a rover since I'm using this mod:

But using a rover without it just takes too long to my taste.

Yup, this is the real answer for a science stripper in a minimum of real time.  If you're using ASS and want minimal work put an extra kerbal in a command seat for the EVA reports.

For a world like Minmus it isn't as cheap in funds because hauling rovers is such a pain.  I have stripped every bit of science from Minmus with a hopper that had about 4000m/s when it left it's booster in orbit.  It was not capable of coming home but for low-g worlds I do not consider that a problem.  Download Basic Orbit (lets you see your velocity and orbit info without going to the map view) and use your jetpack to return to space.  Even on Mun this can be done with extra fuel (you'll need KIS or KAS, I can't recall which.)  Bring the scientist home on a tourist bus.