Science in each Biome has a maximum amount of available science. Some experiments will give you 100% of the available science in a single report, such as Crew Reports, EVA Reports, Temperature Reports. Others only give a fraction of the available science and thus need to be done multiple times to get all of the available Science such as Goo Canisters, Science Jr, etc. When you do your Science Experiment you will see a Green Bar and a Blue Bar (sorry at work at the moment so working from memory). The Green bar shows you how much of the available science is being discovered with this experiment, a full bar is 100%, an empty bar is 0%. The Blue bar is how much of the researched science you will gain if you transmit the data rather than return the experiment. Some experiments, like the Crew Report, will give a 1:1 ratio if you transmit, so you will get 100% of the data. Others like the Goo Canisters will give you less science if you transmit. Trick is to always physically return the science data if you can, either by bringing the experiment part back or having one of your crew remove the data from the part and store it in the cabin. In regards to progression I like to get the basic Plane parts as early as possible, including the wheels, and at least through to the Thermometer. I think I can get all that after my second launch which I generally do with the Rocket listed above (although I take off some of the goo and install a Science Jr) and land in a different biome. At that point once I have the parts I need/want, I make myself a simple car and I visit every building in the Space Center using a Scientist to extract and reset all of the science experiments. With a single Goo Container, Science Jr, Thermometer, Crew Report and EVA Report from each location within your Space Center you can get well over 100 science, if you have the time and patience to the Goo and Science Jr at each location 4 times (this means 4 separate trips, but you should be able to get some more Experiment parts to add in the process) you will be able to extract the maximum science from each area. Space Center Biomes are: Launch Pad Launch Pad Trackway VAB SPH Runway R&D Center Tracking Station Flag Pole Contracts Building Administration Building (the one where you can trade one resource for another) Crew Building KSP Space Center (pick an area of grass near the Space Center, but not within the area of one of the buildings, I generally do this one when travelling in a straight line from the Runway to the R&D building). By the end of doing all this, and before I have even left the atmosphere I can have all of the first 3 tiers unlocked and has started working on tier 4.