[1.8.x] DMagic Orbital Science: New Science Parts [v1.4.3] [11/2/2019]

[mdapol]

Yeah, I'm gonna backup and reinstall the mod. This also happens with station science.

If you're using a mod that modifies science parts, using ModuleManager, it might be changing something.

[DMagic]

If you're using a mod that modifies science parts, using ModuleManager, it might be changing something.

It's possible, but that shouldn't be an issue with anything beyond version 0.5 of my mod. I don't use ModuleScienceExperiment on any of the parts (though some of them do use a plugin that inherits from that). It's worth considering though.

[DMagic]

Update to V0.7

Download on Spaceport

New science part added:

Anomalous Signal Scanner

This scanner is designed to locate and study anomalies from the surface or while flying low above them. It has a maximum detection range of 30km, which falls off with height above the anomaly. Indications are given for distance and direction to the anomaly (exact values are printed in the debug window). Within about 10km a separate camera module deploys, this will rotate about its z-axis to look at the anomaly (this works best mounted parallel to the surface of the planet, on a rover or plane), and an indicator light turns on when the anomaly is within scanning range.

For full science value make repeated observations of the anomaly and return the scanner to Kerbin for detailed analysis. Reports cannot be transferred out of the scanner, it must be returned to Kerbin to study the anomalies' effects on it. Results can however be transmitted for 50% value, or 75% with lab analysis. The scanner can be reset at an operational science lab after transmission.

I made new science reports for all anomalies (only the real ones, with PQSCity transforms). I haven't tested every anomaly, but you should be able to get within scanning range for all of them, even if they are underground.

There are new textures for the magnetometer and laser, both now resemble the drill and anomaly scanner a little more closely. The RPWS and telescope will have to wait for another update to get new textures and new models.

I also made several bug fixes to existing parts. The magnetometer data can now be collected on EVA, and the non-functional right-click button has been removed. The laser description was fixed and the part was moved back to its proper tech node. This will require a repurchase in the R&D center (and may make the part unavailable if you haven't progressed far enough), but won't affect any existing crafts.

I'll also be releasing, hopefully in a day or so, a prototype of my new ModuleScienceAnimate plugin. It's meant to replace most of my current modules and act as a generic science module with better animation controls (replacing the stock ModuleScienceExperiment and ModuleAnimateGeneric modules). Everything will be configurable through the part.cfg file only, so anyone will be able to use it. I'll add a link here when I release that (source is available on my GitHub repository now).

Check the first post of this thread for a full preview gallery of the update.

Change Log:

v0.7:
- New anomalous signal scanner. Designed for rovers and spaceplanes.
	- Used to detect and study anomalies.
	- Single use only; return to Kerbin for complete study of the science report, or transmit and reset with science lab.
- New textures for the magnetometer and laser; they fit in better with the recent parts.
- Fixed .cfg file and plugin bugs for the laser and magnetometer
	- Laser returned to its proper tech node - will require repurchase, but should not affect existing vessels.
	- A few minor changes in other part.cfg files; dropped the mass of the telescope.
- New science reports for the anomaly scanner, fixed many typos in old reports.

v0.6:
- New biological activity core drill. Designed for rovers and landers.
	- Features multiple storage containers.
	- Can be used up to six times before needing to be returned to Kerbin or reset with a science lab.
	- Two different animation modes, used for rovers or landers. Animation dependent on the drill's orientation relative to its parent part - preview animation in the VAB/SPH - use cubic octagonal struts or other small parts to modify animation behavior.
- New science reports for core drill.
	- Included support for Trueborn's Custom Biomes plugin. * Requires separate download 
	- Reports for custom biomes for the laser, optical telescope and core drill.
- Reduced values for some science experiments.

v0.5:
- New surface scanning laser instrument. Designed for rovers and landers.
- Changes in magnetometer and telescope part names to address compatibility issues with other mods (will not be backward compatible without manually changing the names or installing the alternate part folder). Re-purchasing parts in the R&D center is required.
- New model for magnetometer, includes added details to the instruments themselves, cleaner animation, and lower RAM usage due to more efficient use of textures.
- Custom part modules for all parts to address animation and science collection issues:
        - Magnetometer and RPWS animations are fully reversible while playing, animation speed for these parts is increased as well.
	- Deployed previews are available in the VAB/SPH for all parts
	- Attempts to collect science where not possible will trigger a message with suggestions about where to use the instrument; will not play the deploy animation if the part is in the retracted position.
	- Transmitting or resetting the instrument will not trigger the retract animation.
	- Repeatedly pushing the collect data button/action group will not spam multiple results.
	- The laser has only a single, forward animation. Data is collected midway through the animation.
- Edited existing science reports, and added several more. Added full set of surface reports for the laser.

v0.4: 
- New textures for all parts.
- Changed non-SCANsat telescope to be the default, for the SCANsat version replace the default scope folder with the alternate folder.
- Tweaks to models and animations for the magnetometer and telescope.
- Add Langmuir probe to RPWS model (should not break existing crafts).
- Added surface reports for the magnetometer, including biome support where available.
- Added biome support for non-SCANsat telescope in low orbit.
- Rearranged tech tree placement; parts moved to earlier nodes.
- Decreased science report values, added and edited science reports.
- Added FxModule to part.cfg to force deployment before science reports can be collected.

v0.3: Initial upload.

[Thourion]

Cool stuff Dmagic. Just a quick question though, is it your intention to replace the custom BTDT part with the new Anomalous, or are they going to continue to coexist as two different parts? Meaning the BTDT will only do ScanSat stuff, and the new one do its own thing as described above, in which case i need both on a craft.

I dont mind for them to be left as they are, reason im asking is just for planned SAT rover craft designs, before i launch them.

[Unteknikal]

Was already using this mod that so far is really nice, now it's going to be even better, I'm willing to test the new ASS although the disability of tranfer science is going to be very restrictive I will rather go for a diferent aproach like make it unable to operate once the transfer it's done, then you have to reset the instrument in the science lab in order to use it again, even with this aproach having science with this instrument will be very time consuming.

[biohazard15]

And I've just completed a 2-year "Find the Kraken" mission to Bop. Damn

[DMagic]

Cool stuff Dmagic. Just a quick question though, is it your intention to replace the custom BTDT part with the new Anomalous, or are they going to continue to coexist as two different parts? Meaning the BTDT will only do ScanSat stuff, and the new one do its own thing as described above, in which case i need both on a craft.

I dont mind for them to be left as they are, reason im asking is just for planned SAT rover craft designs, before i launch them.

I'm not going to add the SCANsat module to the new part, though you should be able to do so yourself. It won't interact with the part's animation, but should still function the same way. You'll have a lot of indicators about where the anomaly is that way. The BTDT detects them at 50km away; mine has a maximum range of 30km, which decreases with altitude up to about 15km above the anomaly.

I would recommend assigning "collect data" to an action group so you can easily get the distance and direction message (there is some error built into the distance estimate that increases with range).

Was already using this mod that so far is really nice, now it's going to be even better, I'm willing to test the new ASS although the disability of tranfer science is going to be very restrictive I will rather go for a diferent aproach like make it unable to operate once the transfer it's done, then you have to reset the instrument in the science lab in order to use it again, even with this aproach having science with this instrument will be very time consuming.

I figured science is already easy enough as is, so I wanted to make this part work a little differently. And my in-game rationale is that you have to study the effects of each anomaly's radiation and what-not on the instrument itself. It's not like my other parts where you're just transferring data, or taking the sample incubator. Here I want it to be the part itself that needs to be returned and studied.

I have been thinking about removing the requirement to make repeated observations though; making the base value equal to the science cap. That might be a better solution than putting a bunch of scanners on the same vessel, or making repeat trips out to every location.

The other thing I'm thinking about working on is the scanning distance. I didn't test every anomaly on every terrain setting. So there could be some that are buried so far underground that you can't get within range. I could increase the range, or switch from using the straight-line distance to the anomaly to using the horizontal distance (and maybe capping the max vertical height above the anomaly to something like 500m).

And I've just completed a 2-year "Find the Kraken" mission to Bop. Damn

Sounds like it's time for a repeat. Actually, I should get out to Bop. I haven't been there for any testing and the last time I was there was just briefly to land an ion-engine vessel. Otherwise I haven't been out since 0.19, I think.

[kiwiak]

Why wont we get scope that has its own experiment module and scansat integration.

Well, i can always add it to config, i know.

[Unteknikal]

I'm not going to add the SCANsat module to the new part, though you should be able to do so yourself. It won't interact with the part's animation, but should still function the same way. You'll have a lot of indicators about where the anomaly is that way. The BTDT detects them at 50km away; mine has a maximum range of 30km, which decreases with altitude up to about 15km above the anomaly.

I would recommend assigning "collect data" to an action group so you can easily get the distance and direction message (there is some error built into the distance estimate that increases with range).

I figured science is already easy enough as is, so I wanted to make this part work a little differently. And my in-game rationale is that you have to study the effects of each anomaly's radiation and what-not on the instrument itself. It's not like my other parts where you're just transferring data, or taking the sample incubator. Here I want it to be the part itself that needs to be returned and studied.

I have been thinking about removing the requirement to make repeated observations though; making the base value equal to the science cap. That might be a better solution than putting a bunch of scanners on the same vessel, or making repeat trips out to every location.

The other thing I'm thinking about working on is the scanning distance. I didn't test every anomaly on every terrain setting. So there could be some that are buried so far underground that you can't get within range. I could increase the range, or switch from using the straight-line distance to the anomaly to using the horizontal distance (and maybe capping the max vertical height above the anomaly to something like 500m).

Sounds like it's time for a repeat. Actually, I should get out to Bop. I haven't been there for any testing and the last time I was there was just briefly to land an ion-engine vessel. Otherwise I haven't been out since 0.19, I think.

My Idea of planetary colonization is that you have to have a science lab somewhere in your colony because is there where you are going to test samples and whatnot, so basically if you are conducting anomalies observations and samples you will organize a expedition to the point and perform the observations in the field then go back to base unload everything there for further analysis and only if there are material samples you will send a trip back to Kerbin full loaded with samples and data.

I will go since we already have the BTDT for orbital scanning , a instrument that can make a "in situ" prospecting of the anomaly something that makes EVA really necessary, you already did that with the ECD and with the SSL but a instrument that is focused in the study of anomalies in the field could be mind-blowing and brings a really cool feature to anomalies hunters, something that by now does not exist in the game.

Anyway I love your work man keep it up.

[mdapol]

My Idea of planetary colonization is that you have to have a science lab somewhere in your colony because is there where you are going to test samples and whatnot, so basically if you are conducting anomalies observations and samples you will organize a expedition to the point and perform the observations in the field then go back to base unload everything there for further analysis and only if there are material samples you will send a trip back to Kerbin full loaded with samples and data.

I will go since we already have the BTDT for orbital scanning , a instrument that can make a "in situ" prospecting of the anomaly something that makes EVA really necessary, you already did that with the ECD and with the SSL but a instrument that is focused in the study of anomalies in the field could be mind-blowing and brings a really cool feature to anomalies hunters, something that by now does not exist in the game.

Anyway I love your work man keep it up.

This mod is starting to get as many acronyms as they have at NASA.

[sidfu]

Dmagic u make some awsome stuff. have u ever thought of making alt stock sceince parts also?

[DMagic]

Dmagic u make some awsome stuff. have u ever thought of making alt stock sceince parts also?

Thanks. I actually haven't really considered that, but thinking about it, I could replace some of the basic science parts, gravity sensor, accelerometer, etc... Those could use some work.

Why wont we get scope that has its own experiment module and scansat integration.

Well, i can always add it to config, i know.

I updated to version 0.7.1. The default parts are all unchanged. But I added my module to the SCANsat version of the telescope. You should now be able to use it as a multispectral scanner at the same time as collecting my science reports. The SCANsat module doesn't control any of the animations, so there are some superfluous action groups and right-click buttons, but otherwise it seems to working fine.

I did the same with anomaly sensor, so now it can be used as a BTDT scanner alongside my module.

You can download the SCANsat parts only at this MediaFire link, or download the full upload from the first page or on Spaceport. The SCANsat parts have different names so they will have to purchased separately at the R&D center and won't affect existing crafts.

I will go since we already have the BTDT for orbital scanning , a instrument that can make a "in situ" prospecting of the anomaly something that makes EVA really necessary, you already did that with the ECD and with the SSL but a instrument that is focused in the study of anomalies in the field could be mind-blowing and brings a really cool feature to anomalies hunters, something that by now does not exist in the game.

I think I see what you're getting at. How about this idea? I could make a separate, smaller, anomaly scanner that can only be used by an EVA Kerbal. Preferably it could be something with KAS support, so they could pick it up, walk over to an anomaly and scan it. This could either be a kind of companion part to the regular anomaly scanner, or it could come with its own set of reports (and I would probably have to reduce the science value for both parts).

I'm also thinking that I could change it so the anomaly scanner gets boosted to full, or nearly full transmission value at the science lab. I had always though that the 50% boost in transmission value was fixed by the science lab (and I'm still pretty sure that it is), but it should be relatively simple to bypass whatever the science lab is doing to the data and change the transmission value myself. That way I could set it at something like 90 or 95% and then the part could still be reset by the lab. I wouldn't add EVA collection, but I think this would be a good compromise.

Also, let me know if anyone runs into any problems with data transmission. When I recompiled the plugin earlier today KSP started spitting out some error I've never seen before in the debug window when I tried to transmit. I'm 90% sure that this is a .NET thing and I just have to be sure to point Visual Studio at .NET 3.5, but if anyone else has problems with transmission let me know (the released plugin shouldn't have this issue). And if you are going to recompile my code for whatever reason, make sure you point it at .NET 3.5, not 4.x.

[kiwiak]

I think I see what you're getting at. How about this idea? I could make a separate, smaller, anomaly scanner that can only be used by an EVA Kerbal. Preferably it could be something with KAS support, so they could pick it up, walk over to an anomaly and scan it. This could either be a kind of companion part to the regular anomaly scanner, or it could come with its own set of reports (and I would probably have to reduce the science value for both parts).

Backpack scanner is really good idea! Im waitimng for this addition to pack.

Also there is some random idea, how about some sensor for studying weather patterns on planets with atmosphere?

[mdapol]

Thanks. I actually haven't really considered that, but thinking about it, I could replace some of the basic science parts, gravity sensor, accelerometer, etc... Those could use some work.

If you do this, would it be possible for you to put any part replacements in a separate mod for those of us who might not want to replace the stock parts but who also love your new parts?

[Thourion]

A) I'm not going to add the SCANsat module to the new part, though you should be able to do so yourself...

...I have been thinking about removing the requirement to make repeated observations though; making the base value equal to the science cap. That might be a better solution than putting a bunch of scanners on the same vessel, or making repeat trips out to every location...

A) Only concern i had is if they were incompatible, or if you would merge the two. Since you are not, then i dont mind having both of them on, since they look great, and i like stuff on my rovers/probes as long as they are not doing the same thing of course

Yeah i think i like this idea more.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Thourion

[kiwiak]

Dmagic u make some awsome stuff. have u ever thought of making alt stock sceince parts also?

If you want some nice looking science parts with stock functionality, AEIS has some.

[Unteknikal]

Thanks. I actually haven't really considered that, but thinking about it, I could replace some of the basic science parts, gravity sensor, accelerometer, etc... Those could use some work.

I updated to version 0.7.1. The default parts are all unchanged. But I added my module to the SCANsat version of the telescope. You should now be able to use it as a multispectral scanner at the same time as collecting my science reports. The SCANsat module doesn't control any of the animations, so there are some superfluous action groups and right-click buttons, but otherwise it seems to working fine.

I did the same with anomaly sensor, so now it can be used as a BTDT scanner alongside my module.

You can download the SCANsat parts only at this MediaFire link, or download the full upload from the first page or on Spaceport. The SCANsat parts have different names so they will have to purchased separately at the R&D center and won't affect existing crafts.

I think I see what you're getting at. How about this idea? I could make a separate, smaller, anomaly scanner that can only be used by an EVA Kerbal. Preferably it could be something with KAS support, so they could pick it up, walk over to an anomaly and scan it. This could either be a kind of companion part to the regular anomaly scanner, or it could come with its own set of reports (and I would probably have to reduce the science value for both parts).

I'm also thinking that I could change it so the anomaly scanner gets boosted to full, or nearly full transmission value at the science lab. I had always though that the 50% boost in transmission value was fixed by the science lab (and I'm still pretty sure that it is), but it should be relatively simple to bypass whatever the science lab is doing to the data and change the transmission value myself. That way I could set it at something like 90 or 95% and then the part could still be reset by the lab. I wouldn't add EVA collection, but I think this would be a good compromise.

Also, let me know if anyone runs into any problems with data transmission. When I recompiled the plugin earlier today KSP started spitting out some error I've never seen before in the debug window when I tried to transmit. I'm 90% sure that this is a .NET thing and I just have to be sure to point Visual Studio at .NET 3.5, but if anyone else has problems with transmission let me know (the released plugin shouldn't have this issue). And if you are going to recompile my code for whatever reason, make sure you point it at .NET 3.5, not 4.x.

If you feel like to do that, I will really enjoy it, I mean that could be awesome man.

Hope I can play a lil tonight to test the mod

[Tallinu]

The SCANsat parts have different names so they will have to purchased separately at the R&D center and won't affect existing crafts.

When I first installed this part pack (this was prior to version .7) I installed the scansat version of the telescope, because I had scansat installed, and expected it to have "more features". I added your telescope, magnetometer, and RPWS to a pre-existing probe design that had all the orbital scansat parts and launched it. I quickly discovered that the telescope had only the scansat functionality. Since that was utterly redundant, I removed that version of it and put in the non-scansat version, restarted KSP, and it promptly deleted the probe I'd launched.

Luckily I regularly make backups of my persistence file, so I just restored it. I then opened up the part.cfg files for the two versions of your telescope and discovered that for some bizarre reason you gave them different part names despite instructing us to install only one or the other, not both. So I had to edit my persistence file and replace "dmSCAN" with "dm" on the telescope part name for that probe.

Are you under the impression that using the version of the part.cfg file that has the scansat module listed would cause problems if scansat wasn't installed? In my experience, unknown modules are simply ignored and cause no issues (unless the part requires the missing module in order to function properly). So the only reason I can see to provide two versions of the part.cfg files is for people who have scansat installed but don't want its features to appear on your telescope and anomaly scanner.

And there's nothing wrong with providing that choice; however, the two versions of the parts should not be given different names. Doing so prevents you from swapping between the versions without losing craft in flight and becoming unable to load up saved craft that used the "other version" of those parts. For example, if I had your dmSCAN telescope installed, but decided to remove the scansat mod (perhaps I wasn't really using it and wanted to trim down KSP's memory footprint), I couldn't switch to the non-scansat telescope without either losing any craft using it or editing persistence and/or part.cfg files to make the names match up.

Another way to offer that choice, without requiring two different part.cfg files, is to provide a module manager .cfg file to insert the appropriate scansat module into the part.cfg for the telescope and anomaly scanner. If the user wants the scansat features on those devices, they simply copy in that .cfg file as well as the parts - and they could easily add or remove it at will if they change their minds. Since the part names don't change in this situation either, no craft will be lost/inaccessible.

This is all you would need:

@PART[dmAnomScanner]
{
	MODULE
	{
		name = SCANsat
		sensorType = 32
		fov = 1
		min_alt = 0
		max_alt = 2000
		best_alt = 0
		power = 0.1
		scanName = BTDT scan
	}
}

@PART[dmscope]
{
	MODULE
	{
		name = SCANsat
		sensorType = 24
		fov = 4
		min_alt = 5000
		max_alt = 500000
		best_alt = 250000
		power = 1.5
		scanName = multispectral scan
	}
}

Edited March 13, 2014 by Tallinu
Example MM CFG

[Sol_Rokks_Teddy]

hey dmagic, I am really liking this mod. I like how "sciencey" the parts make my craft look, especially the magnetometer boom and the radio and plasma wave science antenna. I would like to have more equipment like that, that unfold and extends away from the craft. Even if it were just stock science parts that have been "upgraded" by taping them to a stick bolted to a hinge on the side of the ship. Thanks again for the super cool parts.

Ps. Sorry if that sounded a bit demanding or if the wording was a bit weird, but this was very hard to type on my very crapy phone and I haven't had breakfast yet.

Edited March 13, 2014 by Sol_Rokks_Teddy

[rottielover]

Keep up the good work. This has quickly become one of my favorite mods.

[DMagic]

If you want some nice looking science parts with stock functionality, AEIS has some.

That's a good point. Even if I did make any parts to replace stock experiments I would never name them the same, they would always work alongside stock parts.

When I first installed this part pack (this was prior to version .7) -----

Once upon a time they actually did have the same names, hence the warnings. I've since tried to get rid of all those, but there might still be a few instructions hanging around about not using both parts.

I'm going to leave them with different names though. I want them to remain separate. There are also some issues with the R&D center tech-nodes when you have multiple parts with the same name (that's why I had to change some of my part names). If you end up researching multiple parts with the same name, even if you delete the first version of the part, you can run into problems that will prevent you from being able to actually use the part.

If anyone's worried about persistent file loss though, you should check out my backup generator, it's in the bottom of my signature.

hey dmagic, I am really liking this mod. I like how "sciencey" the parts make my craft look, especially the magnetometer boom and the radio and plasma wave science antenna. I would like to have more equipment like that, that unfold and extends away from the craft. Even if it were just stock science parts that have been "upgraded" by taping them to a stick bolted to a hinge on the side of the ship. Thanks again for the super cool parts.

I have quite a few ideas for more parts, both realistic, and Kerbalized ones, but for now I'm going to wait at least until 0.24 to see what kind of changes it brings and what I can do with my existing parts.

But the more I think about it, the more I want to make an EVA anomaly scanner, that will probably be my first project after 0.24.

Keep up the good work. This has quickly become one of my favorite mods.

Thanks, hopefully it will keep getting better.

[Ghost13]

Radio and Plasma Wave Science Antenna dosn't work in space near the sun with Can't use the device in the atmoshere message. I have not yet checked if it is works in latest mod version.

[DMagic]

Radio and Plasma Wave Science Antenna dosn't work in space near the sun with Can't use the device in the atmoshere message. I have not yet checked if it is works in latest mod version.

I'll have to check on that, it shouldn't be any different in the latest version. The sun might have some differences in where the atmosphere begins and what is considered "near" space.

I'm working on a replacement science module for most of my parts, hopefully I can address this issue too. If anyone wants to check it out you can head over to this thread.

It's a generic science module that I can use with most of my parts and that can be configured entirely through the part.cfg file. Anyone who wants to is free to use the plugin for their own science mods; it has much more versatile control over how animations work with science experiments. It still has some issues and I'll update it as I go, but it's mostly working and behaves similar to the stock module.

[Tallinu]

Once upon a time they actually did have the same names, hence the warnings. I've since tried to get rid of all those, but there might still be a few instructions hanging around about not using both parts.

I'm going to leave them with different names though. I want them to remain separate. There are also some issues with the R&D center tech-nodes when you have multiple parts with the same name (that's why I had to change some of my part names). If you end up researching multiple parts with the same name, even if you delete the first version of the part, you can run into problems that will prevent you from being able to actually use the part.

If anyone's worried about persistent file loss though, you should check out my backup generator, it's in the bottom of my signature.

I believe that instruction is a file in the zip. The replacement folder's structure was also identical, which would cause the part.cfg file of one version to overwrite the other (as well as the model and textures). And I'm not surprised that installing more than one part with the same name would lead to problems. Computers don't tend to like that very much (unless designed specifically to work around it). Why would anyone intentionally do that?

If you intend for people to install both versions of these parts simultaneously (if they want the scansat-enabled part), I'd just like to say that's pretty much the opposite of how many people are trying to trim their part count and assets loaded to save memory and keep KSP from crashing so often... At the very least you could have the models and textures only exist in one location and have both parts reference them in that location instead of each one containing a duplicate of them (the game loads both, even if they're identical). I still think it's rather silly to install both versions of a part like this though, and I'm curious what your reasoning is on that.

Don't get me wrong though, I love what you've done with these parts - the models are great, and I'll happily use any and all means of getting extra science out of my missions (especially when they're real-world instruments that KSP lacks).

[DMagic]

Radio and Plasma Wave Science Antenna dosn't work in space near the sun with Can't use the device in the atmoshere message. I have not yet checked if it is works in latest mod version.

I did some checking. It seems the sun has some slightly wonky values for the atmosphere. As far as I can tell it doesn't have an atmosphere in the same way that other planets do (at least not at the altitudes I checked). It seems that CelestialBody.atmosphere returns false for the sun, while CelestialBody.maxAtmosphereAltitude returns 700,000 km, and CelestialBody.scienceValues.spaceAltitudeThreshold (the altitude where it switches between "in space low" and "in space high") is at 1,000,000 km.

What all this means is that only the area between 700,000 km and 1,000,000 km counts as "in space near", while below that counts as being in the atmosphere, despite the fact that there is no atmosphere.

There are a few things to note here. The stock science module will always return "in space low/high" unless you are on a sub-orbital trajectory, even if you are deep in the atmosphere (of Kerbin for example), if your orbital projection doesn't intersect the surface you won't be able to do atmospheric experiments, the same goes for aerobraking or any other situation where your orbit is escaping the planet's SOI. I don't like this; my new science module fixes this so that any time you're in the atmosphere you can do atmospheric experiments. But because of the weird way the sun behaves it will always return in space low when you are below 1,000,000 km (ie the problem you noted won't be an issue anymore).

For now though, the way the RPWS is setup will cause it to not work below 700,000 km above the sun, though it should give the "in space near" results when you are between 700,000 and 1,000,000 km. The magnetometer doesn't seem to have this problem, and the telescope shouldn't either, though I didn't actually check that one.

Thanks for bringing that up though, I had never checked those values for the sun and it's interesting to figure out the weird way that it's setup.

If you intend for people to install both versions of these parts simultaneously -----

That's already been taken care of in the 0.7.1 update. The alternate versions of the anomaly scanner and the telescope have both the SCANsat modules and my modules attached to them.

Edit: And speaking of the RPWS, here's a quick preview of the new model and texture. It could still use some tweaking, but I think it looks a lot better. I also fixed some bugs with the part and have it working with my new plugin.

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Edited March 15, 2014 by DMagic
RPWS preview