For me, as I play, the way we collect Science just isn't very good, before and after the latest changes. To me, there is just very little reason to establish a moon base or some other major base as their use for collect Scientific Data is quickly lost after 1 or 2 flights. In the real world, a multi-million dollar space mission would be established to pull as much data as possible . . . look at the ISS, for example. With that in mind, I do have a suggested replacement system. Sample analysis with a cargo inventory system. The real world goal of space missions is to either build or launch man made orbital objects for the betterment of humanity, or experimentation. Naturally, we already have some experiments in the game, but I feel they could be so much more, they could become actual experiment apparatuses to perform experiments on sample objects obtained from Kerbin or extra-Kerbinular objects. For example, let's say we have a Kerbin grown potato, and the Kerbins want to do some experimentation on the potato in space. They can launch it and observe it's weightlessness, they could expose it to radiation, blast it with lasers, attempt to grow it, etc. All science experiments would be interchangeable inside certain spaceship parts. For example, a Science Jr. can only mount one science experiment at a time, but be manually changed out by a Kerbin, assuming another experiment is stored in a cargo spaceship part. Each experiment would take a set amount of time to analyze the sample. (How the time is calculated, and weather the sample is degraded is up for debate. Time-stamp a science experiment so that you can leave the vessel and claim the science another time) A sample system also naturally destroys the whole data-mining idea. Each sample would have a life span, and each experiment could damage the sample to a degree until the sample is no longer usable. Also, link over the current "science usefulness" factor as you can only study one type of sample so many times in a certain situation before it's useless. Ultimately, you'd find much more gameplay out of these idea. You'd need: -Spaceship cargo holds that can hold X-amount of space -scientific samples, a variety of which can be obtained from the different planets using different tools. -parts for extracting samples -and the new science study system. Plays will find reason to build a planet base or orbital station and to go to orbital bodies to obtain samples study and return with. Incorporate the transmission restrictions to encourage players to get samples to a base with a science lab to get better data results. I'm sharing these ideas because, right now, I feel there is very little reason for me to launch new teams of Kerbals to go man science bases, when all the science is used up. Give me a reason to return. One last idea: Studying different samples would auto unlock items on a separate tech tree. For example, new samples (or compounds) from Kerbin to launch into orbit for study, and even new science experiments to attach to space flights (a reason to return to a space base, swap out experiments and get more science from a previous investment).
