Dentarg

I've got a quest to bring 2000 ore from Eve... 20t payload is not the same as a lonely kerbonaut with a few sensors. Now I have 1kt lander (reaches Kerbin orbit without decoupling but still not sure if dV is enough), 3.5kt tanker (will need two trips) and also have to invent a transfer stage. This is hell.

I'm trying to reach the first post goal in career mode and mine maximum science including Jool low orbit visiting. Anyone already has offered such challenge?

BTW what is Jool "lower atmosphere" border? Is it possible to make a spaceplane for mining science from there with returning back? Without efficient jet engines and with thick dense atmosphere it's nearly impossible

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.