Surface samples for science value

[RoyalVengeance]

I noticed you got to get 4 surface samples from a biome to achieved "Full science value" . 4 Goos, science bays , and 2 seismics. I mean, really ? The command pods only hold 1 of the same experiment so apart from a science lab , getting 4 unique surface samples from let's say, the Mun's Midlands is pretty tedious, especially in the early game. Am I missing something or really going after way too much science ? ( Getting the green bar full in the experiment reports in case you have no idea what I am ranting about XD )

[Warzouz]

You don't need full science from each science experiment. To get full science : explore KSC, and a bit of Kerbin. Go to Mun and Minmus (maybe twice when you get new experiments). Get a peek to Kerbol SOI, you should unlock everything and have some Kerbals level 3.

Then go explore the universe !

[Mister Kerman]

Yeah the tech tree is pretty forgiving on default settings. You can unlock practically the whole thing with a couple minmus/mun landings with a couple biome hops.

Sending a manned capsule to a planet in a low polar orbit can get you a free crew report/EVA report/applicable experiment you've unlocked, of every single biome and return it to KSC if you aren't too sticky on squeezing every last drop of science you could possibly get out of a celestial body

I hate biome hopping. I try to do historical style space missions for the most part, but in order to get all the parts I need I'll usually send one lander to Minumus to hop to 3 or 4 biomes before heading back to Kerbin so I can unlock everything I need to start doing things the way I like to do them. I think the most I ever got was a science number over 4000. Not sure the exact amount.

Edited September 26, 2015 by Mister Kerman

[OhioBob]

The marginal rate of return for repeated experiments from the same biome gets so small that I don't think it's worth doing more than twice. Getting those last few points just isn't worth the time and expense. Even doing it twice isn't really worth it unless you can easily access the biome, or if you are returning with new experiments that you didn't have on your first visit. You get far greater return for your buck by visiting new biomes.

Of course there are other ways to squeeze a few extra points on a single visit. For instance, if you are transmitting the data back to Kerbin, just run the experiment, transmit the data, and then repeat the experiment until you exhaust the number of points you can get from it. This doesn't work for Mystery Goo and Materials Bay because those experiments are non-repeatable. Also, for unmanned missions, if you plan to return the entire experiment package back to Kerbin, carry multiple copies of the same experiment. And for manned missions, you can mount the experiment on the outside of your pod. Run the experiment once, remove the data, and transfer it to the pod. Run the experiment again and leave the data with the instrument. When you recover the vessel you'll get points for two runs of the experiment. Unfortunately with surface samples you can only return those inside a pod, so, unless you have multiple pods to store multiple samples, you can only do one of those per visit to a biome.

I also noted that you didn't mention the GRAVMAX Negative Gravioli Detector and Atmospheric Fluid Spectro-Variometer. Those experiments are also repeatable for extra points.

Edited September 26, 2015 by OhioBob

[RoyalVengeance]

So basically , I'm trying way too hard XD

[Mister Kerman]

Mhm.

(5 Chars...)

[mikegarrison]

You can also get the mod "No More Science Grinding" and you will get full value for all experiments the first time you return them. The mod also increases the % of science obtained when transmitting digital-type data, but when transmitting physical type date (goo, materials lab, etc.) it gives you a lower % than stock.

This is especially helpful when combined with mod tech trees that require more science to unlock than the stock tree does.

[KerikBalm]

Of course there are other ways to squeeze a few extra points on a single visit. For instance, if you are transmitting the data back to Kerbin, just run the experiment, transmit the data, and then repeat the experiment until you exhaust the number of points you can get from it. This doesn't work for Mystery Goo and Materials Bay because those experiments are non-repeatable.

Use a Scientist kerbal to reset them.

The scientists go on all the cool missions* in my career save.

A probe core is lighter than multiple experiments.

1.1 may change this.

*an engineer may come along for strut repair, fixing wheels, repacking chutes, and faster mining.... Pilots aren't very useful once I have more advanced probe cores.

[OhioBob]

Use a Scientist kerbal to reset them.

The scientists go on all the cool missions* in my career save.

A probe core is lighter than multiple experiments.

True, scientists can reset experiments. However, I was referring to unmanned missions in which the data is being transmitted.

[Terwin]

If you have unlocked the Lab module, you can store as many iterations of the same experiment in the same place as you like.

(ISRU is great for letting you visit every single biome without worrying about having enough delta-v to get home)

On my first visit to Duna I collected all the data from every biome(Duna and Ike) except for one that only exists at the edge of the pole and the lowlands(canyons perhaps?).

multiple goo, multiple surface, multiple seismic, etc.

(I got the canyons one after my scansat finally arrived and gave me the missing biome locations)

If you want a good use for all that extra science from outside the Kerbin SOI, I recommend the community science tree, my inner grand tour finally arrived back on Kerbin(with ~30K sceince as I got gilly, moho, and even the eve upper atmosphere), and that finally allowed me to get my last CST node(the 10K one), as well as starting my science-> rep mod and putting ~15K science into rep(with 8K science in the bank for future changes in the business center)

[Alshain]

I don't usually bother with repeating experiments in the same biome. There is no real advantage. My personal opinion is that function of diminishing returns should just be removed from the game.

[GarrisonChisholm]

The Science gathering is actually much the opposite of frustrating in my mind. I have not yet gotten to year 4 in my game, and I have completed all my "cool grab those!" science goals, and this is from totally haphazard Mun & Minmus landings (I have not yet developed the sophistication to 'target' my landings). If one were to play such that practical ion engines were 40 years away at game start, the science awards would need to be paltry indeed. - a notion I intend to investigate.

Edited September 28, 2015 by GarrisonChisholm

[Terwin]

(I have not yet developed the sophistication to 'target' my landings)

I generally go with the 'come to a relative stop above your target position and slow your descent in two or more stages'(depending on how many m/s I need to bleed off). Does not work so well with an atmosphere, but great for most of the Kerbol system.

If you have ISRU, you don't even need to worry about wasted fuel, you just need to make sure you have enough to land and you can get as much as you need.

Also, if you end up away from your target destination, you can always do a ballistic trajectory, come to a stop somewhere in the top half of the arc and descend again(terrible on fuel I'm sure, but with ISRU you can do it easily if your ship has enough d-v to make orbit)