Lexar

I think you are missing the whole point. Right now the goal is to test the science, modules, tech tree, and work out bugs in the game. Once career mode is complete the goal is to build a successful space exploration program working around a budget. The parts are only part of that goal. The things you are proposing would be like telling NASA "You guys haven't landed on Mars yet, you aren't suppose to send satellites out past Mars." Really?

I think you are overlooking the fact that the career mode is only about testing the science gathering mechanic at the moment. Once credits are introduced you will be limited to only a set amount of parts because of your funding. This funding will only allow you to travel so far because of the price of each piece on your ship. People won't be able to strap 5 pods and 20 boosters onto their ship after 1 or 2 launches to hit the outer planets. (That is if they implement the credits correctly.) I am hoping funding will be the main grind of the game instead of "asking permission" to go to other planets. Kerbals arn't about asking permission they just push a button and see what it does.

Maybe you could get science points based on how long you leave kerbals in space? haha it would be easily exploited if it didn't cap out or have a resource need from kerben though.

Yeah, that's why I put the random failures under optional lol. Banking science would be a cool idea too. Once you get a really good space ship into space that can travel to far planets, and refuel at stations you could then use tugs to get science points back to Kerben with a "space tug"

If that was the case, wouldn't it be better to start off with un-maned space craft with small science mods so you can't fit 13 pods and fill out the science tree in 3-5 flights? You would have to play more of the game to get more.

I don't understand why a 3 rung ladder and a thermometer costs as much as a trip to Minmus... I think there are quite a few things that need moving

I was thinking about ways to make space stations more than just refueling stations. Imagine if you could dock with a space station made for science, transfer all of the physical data (Mainly surface samples) to a "lab" and have them run experiments on the things you have collected. It would take HUGE amounts of power to start and run these experiments though, so you would need the large solar panels along with the large batteries. The "Science Lab" could require 4 kerbals to do the experimenting, 8 of the largest solar panels to run the experiments, and maybe a 20,000 electrical charge (5 of the largest batteries) to start the lab. Reasons may be for later in development though. Like you discover technology, kind of like what has been done on the International Space Station in real life, to help civilian kerbals that will give you a credit/science boost in career mode. Fun optional part: Of course there has to be a down side or a risk. There would be a 20% chance to damage the experiment, so you would lose most of the science that came with it. A 10% chance to lose the experiment along with all of the science that would have been made from the sample. Finally we are talking about kerbals here a 5% chance to blow up random parts of the space station, and lose the kerbals in the lab.

YES! I agree, this would be amazing.