Satellites, rovers and probes - Unmanned Tech To be Great Again

[Patba]

Hello dev team and Kerbalers!

I feel like probes and satellites in KSP1 are quite not worth the investment, it is always better to build a manned rocket to go to a planet to gather science, rather to send a probe to that body. 

 

I think it needs to be looked at and reworked, rather for science probes to be limited in science transmission, it would be much better to implement a system, where you first need to scan the planet or it's surrounding area first, to know what to get, so first you would send a probe and that will allow you to pick more science, whenever you send a manned mission. But to avoid situations where you send a manned vehicle with probing-grade stuff, I would make those probes parts really not worth the investment in a situation, where you want to send a manned mission (like, the cost or some limitations like that - like an option to calibrate manned mission equipment for that particular planet, so the price spikes up with manned missions a lot (similar cost with manned and unmanned so combining those two are basically a waste of money).

 

This way the player is encouraged to do things like in the real world. It's obvious we scan planets or objects of interest first, transmit the findings, where we build upon a manned  mission to that object, based on the data we have got from those probes. 

 

Other than that, the entire idea of space telescopes would be neat! Like, to find a planet, first you need to build either a ground telescope or a space-based one, to find it, analyze it and then probe mission to map it to see what to expect, then and only then, a manned mission is the next logical step.

 

So to summarize:

 

• Mission cost where probe equipment is paired with manned mission is ridiculously high
• To get full science, you need to analyze the planet/object
• Manned science equipment needs to be calibrated for full science return
• The only way to get calibration data is by analyzing the data coming from the probe
• Implementation of telescopes to find new bodies

 

[The Aziz]

Weird, because the most common opinion on the matter was the opposite. That Kerbals in their current form are useless and it's easier, and cheaper, to just send a probe.

[Kerbart]

42 minutes ago, The Aziz said:

Weird, because the most common opinion on the matter was the opposite. That Kerbals in their current form are useless and it's easier, and cheaper, to just send a probe.

In career (science) mode you'll get a lot more science when returning it to Kerbin or when processing it in a lab.

Then again, for the effort on one manned mission you can get lik half a dozen probes underway which in the end gets you a lot more science. A matter of perspective?

[Jacob Kerman]

Everyone can agree that kerbals are more FUN though, and thats what REALLY matters, as well as EXCESSIVE USE OF CAPITAL LETTERS. 

[zeekzeek22]

I definitely am curious how they balance probe cores vs crewed Kerbal mission...they have really doubled down on Kerbals being core to the personality of the experience, so I don't think they want you flying mostly uncrewed missions. I can't come up with any intelligible speculations on it, I just think there will be a different balance and incentive structure for the respective mission types. Maybe it will come down to the resource system?

[Jacob Kerman]

Either way, kerbals will always be on my rockets, no matter what, live or die, reentry or not.

[jastrone]

i mean we will have automated trade routes and cargo missions so maybe one of those will be made by non manned craft. and i know that rovers will be more usefull so maybe unmanned rovers too

[regex]

5 hours ago, Patba said:

Other than that, the entire idea of space telescopes would be neat! Like, to find a planet, first you need to build either a ground telescope or a space-based one, to find it, analyze it and then probe mission to map it to see what to expect, then and only then, a manned mission is the next logical step.

Pluto was discovered in 1930, well before we were launching rockets at other planets. I'm all for using telescopes for gathering science or scanning planets to get (actionable) information on them but discovering planets? In other solar systems, sure. However, this is Kerbal Space Program and IMO there should be nothing stopping you from launching a crewed mission to another planet, and using the good ol' Mk1 Eyeball to figure out where to land without having to go through all the rigmarole of progression if you're confident enough.

I think, ultimately, to balance probes vs. crewed missions we really need some sort of life support system if we retain the (blatantly ridiculous) penalty on transmitting science results in order to incentivize crewed missions. OTOH, we're getting all sorts of other incentives to send Kerbals places in the new game so maybe we won't need dumb penalties anymore.

[Zozaf Kerman]

As far as the telescopes go, personally I would just fling myself out into space hoping to find stuff without dying in the process.

[tstein]

On 12/21/2022 at 4:14 PM, regex said:

Pluto was discovered in 1930, well before we were launching rockets at other planets. I'm all for using telescopes for gathering science or scanning planets to get (actionable) information on them but discovering planets? In other solar systems, sure. However, this is Kerbal Space Program and IMO there should be nothing stopping you from launching a crewed mission to another planet, and using the good ol' Mk1 Eyeball to figure out where to land without having to go through all the rigmarole of progression if you're confident enough.

I think, ultimately, to balance probes vs. crewed missions we really need some sort of life support system if we retain the (blatantly ridiculous) penalty on transmitting science results in order to incentivize crewed missions. OTOH, we're getting all sorts of other incentives to send Kerbals places in the new game so maybe we won't need dumb penalties anymore.

 

 

I think  what would be fun is if we need to  use instruments and probes to gather specific data about a planet before we visit. I.e We should now know  eve's exact gravity and atmospheric density  before we send a probe.  I would , I decision was mine to make every playtrough have  some 5% variance on the mass and atmospheric qualities of planets. So  one needs to  study these before they send something risking kerbals.

On 12/21/2022 at 4:51 PM, Zozaf Kerman said:

As far as the telescopes go, personally I would just fling myself out into space hoping to find stuff without dying in the process.

I think that is   where we have some split in the community approach on kerbals. Some people treat them like rocks, others like me, proudly never ever left a kerbal lost in space. In fact  exclusing my first 2 hours int he game, my space program had zero casualities up today (several years later).