How does Mobile Processing Lab work?

[Renaissance0321]

Can't find any answer for this but I'm planning on launching one to Minus and bouncing around in a flying/driving rover to get all the experiments only I don't know how the MPL resets the experiments. Do I need to dock with it or what? How would I reset the goo container and science jr. for example? Thanks.

Edited March 21, 2014 by Renaissance0321

[Keymaster89]

U have to dock with a ship with MPL if u havn't on board of your lander/rover...

Secure your experiment from the goo container and science jr so u don't reset them also, staff with two kerbal the MPL if u didn't (EVA them to one of the hatch, right click on hatch to get them out) and then right click on the lab and select clean experiments.

All experiment that need to will be cleaned in a bunch of seconds.

[Renaissance0321]

So in order to reset experiments you have to either be docked with the MPL or have experiments attached to it, am I understanding that right?

[Starstrider42]

Yes, the mobile lab only affects components on the same ship (and, for most purposes, KSP counts two docked ships as one). But the experiments don't actually have to be adjacent to the lab, if that's what you're asking -- anywhere on the ship is fine.

Edited March 21, 2014 by Starstrider42

[DocMoriarty]

I actually have a standard research rover that has all experiments as well as a lab to reset them. Furthermore the rover has a small docking port at it's nose (the I-beam extending from it's nose) which matches the small docking port visible in the lower part of the lander. That way the rover can even reset the landers experiments. Other than that the docking port is actually also a standard refueling docking port (playing stock only) for ground based refueling of space planes, landers, lifters etc.

[Renaissance0321]

Doc I have a similar setup actually and I was trying to determine if it was easier to land the MPL or keep it in orbit for rendezvous. Orbital rendezvous is such a pain I think I will just land it.

[DocMoriarty]

I have an orbital station too to reset landers, but on Mun and Minmus with their diverse biomes it's sometimes easier and more fuel efficient not to go back to orbit. Just "jump" to the next crater and return to rover. And aside of that, it's just the fun of doing this research stuff in different ways just so that it doesn't get boring.

[FREEFALL1984]

This is like what I'm sending to minmus on my next big rock cleaning mission, However mine differs in that it will not transmit the data but it will return it to kerbin via a small army of mini manned landers, which I will land on the surface at strategic locations, then after I have driven my rover out to them and transfered the data through eva, the mini landers will return to kerbin, the experiments will then be cleaned before heading out to the next biome. When I eventually want to return all my crew I will send a simple 3 man return module. Thats the plan anyway,

out of curiosity, how does that thing handle on minmus?

[DocMoriarty]

It likes to fly if you go over edges too fast. But it's heavily SASed which avoids the usual "surprises" when driving rovers. So it works actually pretty well, though most work does the lander.

[Renaissance0321]

These are a couple of rovers I'm working with. The first one handles amazing on Minmus, like 0-20m/s in 10 seconds, top speed is like 50 m/s so far lol ... oh and it flies. Well they both fly using RCS with a max range of about 25-30km before having to return for fuel since motors don't work so well on Minmus.

[ArmchairGravy]

Something like this works great on Minmus, but needs refueled after a couple of hops on Mun. There's ladders on the science pods to easily access the experiments.

[Dentarg]

Guys, why the Goo Containment and Science Jr can't be used after transmitting? In other words what's the reason to use MPL if I want to return the results back without transmitting (and get 100% efficiency)?

I expected that I could get rid of dozen Science+Goo modules and make a shuttle + orbit lab. But I don't understand how to make modules operating again. The only thing I invented - grab experiments with a kerbonaut, store them in the lab/pod and return only it - fuel and parachute economy on the way back. Can anything be done with other modules, e.g. Computing Nose Cone? They seems to be reusable, but I don't need the lab to store the results. And I really-really can't understand why transmitting sensors data leads to a loss of science. No one return anything to Earth except surface samples.

[Starstrider42]

I expected that I could get rid of dozen Science+Goo modules and make a shuttle + orbit lab. But I don't understand how to make modules operating again. The only thing I invented - grab experiments with a kerbonaut, store them in the lab/pod and return only it

Once you've removed (or transmitted) the data, you need to right-click on the lab and click "clean experiments". One click is enough for all empty one-use experiments.

And I really-really can't understand why transmitting sensors data leads to a loss of science. No one return anything to Earth except surface samples.

In the real world, yes. In KSP, it rewards you for doing something more challenging than unmanned one-way probes -- either manned missions, or automated return missions.