Multiple Experiment Storage Unit

[Jestersage]

Okay, another question: Is there any benefit of having multiple Experiment Storage Unit on the same non-detachable part? (aka experiment container)

[bewing]

There are several types of experiment that get you a little extra science if you take more than one experiment.

Additionally, if you are trying to use an MPL in some other location -- then you need to take an extra experiment to process in there.

 

[Zhetaan]

I mod my science a bit so what I do may not work so much for you, but I prefer to take a Scientist, two experiment containers, and one of each experiment that requires cleaning (Goo or Science Jr.) in order to wring almost every drop of science that I can get from each biome without needing to pay for (and lift) a separate experiment for each trip.  The experiment results go in the two containers and the command pod, and getting multiple results is simply a matter of cleaning out the experiment each time.  I do this because the value of the experiment, especially in terms of science return versus cost-of-rocket, drops catastrophically each time I return to a previously-visited biome, so while it may be worthwhile to collect second-run and third-run science, it is definitely most worthwhile to get that science on the first trip.

The Science Jr. in particular is expensive and heavy; the experiment containers are not.  This means that one Scientist and two containers turn one Science Jr. into three.  Add biome-hopping capability and each new biome adds a multiple of three:  visit two biomes and one Science Jr. collects the science of six; three biomes makes one Science Jr. into nine.

I can imagine a robot probe that has three Science Jr. experiments and returns three experiment containers for the recovery science, but not the experiments themselves to save mass; however, I would never actually build that probe:  it is enormously more expensive to get that kind of science from a probe because probes cannot reset experiments, so getting three-repetition Science Jr. data from a probe requires sending three Science Jr. experiments on that probe.  If you're running a probe program then go for it; it's cheaper to send three Science Jr. units at once than one at a time because you only need one antenna and probe core, but for a Kerballed program, I find it a bit silly.