I can't activate ground science once I've dropped it

[MAFman]

When I deploy ground modules in construction mode, they just sit there on the ground doing nothing. Am I missing a step?

[OrdinaryKerman]

1 hour ago, MAFman said:

When I deploy ground modules in construction mode, they just sit there on the ground doing nothing. Am I missing a step?

ground science experiments cannot be deployed through construction mode, they need to be deployed directly from a kerbal's inventory (through the right-click menu of whatever kerbal is carrying it. Small white button in their thumbnails)

Edited October 21, 2021 by OrdinaryKerman

[jimmymcgoochie]

You’re doing it incorrectly- deployable science parts need to be deployed, not simply dropped.

1. Move the deployed science part into the Kerbal’s personal inventory.
2. Right click the Kerbal, find the part in their inventory and click the little down-arrow-with-circle icon in the bottom right of that item to deploy it.
3. Place the deployed science part with space bar.
4. When deploying deployed science experiments, get a scientist to do it as this greatly increases the speed at which they generate their data; likewise, get engineers to deploy deployed power systems (solar panels and RTGs) as they will generate more power that way; in both cases higher level Kerbals boost the bonuses.

 

[MAFman]

Now all the parts are saying they're unpowered...

[jimmymcgoochie]

41 minutes ago, MAFman said:

Now all the parts are saying they're unpowered...

Then deploy some solar panels/RTGs to power them; remember solar panels don’t work when it’s dark… There’s also a mod called Deployable Batteries which, surprise, adds deployable batteries that can power stuff at night when your solar panels are off, though you’d need even more solar panels to recharge the batteries during the day.

[MAFman]

2 minutes ago, jimmymcgoochie said:

Then deploy some solar panels/RTGs to power them; remember solar panels don’t work when it’s dark… There’s also a mod called Deployable Batteries which, surprise, adds deployable batteries that can power stuff at night when your solar panels are off, though you’d need even more solar panels to recharge the batteries during the day.

Is there a specific order in which I need to deploy things so they connect?

[jimmymcgoochie]

15 minutes ago, MAFman said:

Is there a specific order in which I need to deploy things so they connect?

It’s usually best to deploy the central station first, after that doesn’t matter. You can see how much power you’re generating and using if you right-click the central station, if your generation isn’t keeping up then deploy more power generators or switch off some consumers via their own right click menus.

[AHHans]

26 minutes ago, MAFman said:

Is there a specific order in which I need to deploy things so they connect?

No.