I had a go at the "tech level one challenge" back in 0.23.5 Career Mode and got as far as Minmus, landed at a few biomes and EVA'd to the others, came back with enough science to unlock all the science parts and enough rocket parts to build a huge asparagus rocket*. I launched the second rocket with an orbiter stage (including science lab and rockomax tank) and lander stage (including all the science parts) and used those to get all the science from all the biomes on Minmus and the Mun, and return it to Kerbin (I spent quite a few hours playing KSP that week) I landed the science lab from the second launch back on Kerbin, which returned enough science points that I completed the tech tree after only two launches (albeit with much F5/F9/revert-ing when I botched things). That was something like my fourth go at career mode in 0.23.5. I don't think it would work in 0.24.2 - I'd probably run out of funds. * - I meant the spacecraft but, come to think about it, "asparagus rocket" could be an interesting salad.