Space stations and science

[Aladine]

Hello,

First post and I am new to KSP, but really really enjoying it. Im at the point where I am starting to think of making a space station, but everything I have read looks to be several versions or years old. So a few questions:

- If I build a Orbiting Station with a Lab on it, will it automatically generate science?

- What other things can you do with stations other than use them as fuel depots?

If need be, are there any good mods for stations that will be worth it to run on stock 1.02?

Thanks!

[Reddeyfish]

1) not automatically. You need to first load data into the lab (using the 'process in lab' option on experiments), then right click the lab to start researching. Once you have done those two things, then it'll automatically generate science. [you also need to have at least one scientist in the lab to be able to start researching]

2)

-You can use stations to hold equipment and crew (i.e. ISRU, comms, hitchhiker containers).

-Once you have a station, it also becomes trivial to fill the 'science data from space around the <...>' contracts. (run a experiment on the station, then transmit)

-science labs

I don't know any good mods focused only on stations, but many mods (i.e. remote tech, interstellar) add more uses for stations.

Edited May 19, 2015 by Reddeyfish

[FancyMouse]

- If I build a Orbiting Station with a Lab on it, will it automatically generate science?

No, you need to put data and scientists in.

- What other things can you do with stations other than use them as fuel depots?

Not much with stock, but you can probably do something with mods, e.g. RemoteTech antenna center.

>If need be, are there any good mods for stations that will be worth it to run on stock 1.02?

wait for StationScience, probably?

[stibbons]

If need be, are there any good mods for stations that will be worth it to run on stock 1.02?

You might want to look at the Karbonite mod, which has some nice parts for collecting resources from low orbit. I'm also a huge fan of the USI Kolonization Systems mod, which lets you assemble much more complicated self-sufficient stations.

[adinfinitum]

If you've got a decent resource infrastructure in place you could use them as switching stations for Kerbals. For example, launch a cheap rocket or SSTO plane to rendezvous with a station in low Kerbin orbit, catch a nuclear powered ship to a Minmus station, then ride a lander down to a surface base. Then you've only gotta pay for the first rocket, everything else only costs the time of fuel production.

[Streetwind]

Station Science is the go-to mod for this kind of thing, but last I checked it hadn't updated yet...

EDIT: Nevermind, it actually did update when I wasn't looking!

Edited May 19, 2015 by Streetwind