Search the Community

I am a few months into KSP and I was not enjoying Career mode. I wanted to explore the Kerbol System in a logical way, but without the extra restrictions of Career mode. Science mode seemed like the answer, if I could do it without having to grind, or to do missions that were more science focused than exploration/progression focused. So here you have my “Logical Progression” Science Mode guide. There is minimal non-destination science or biome hopping, and each mission gets you progressively further into the Kerbol system. Part 1 – Kerbin and it’s Moons Mission 1 – Learn to Science! Mission 2 – Go to Space! Mission 3 – Orbit Kerbin! Mission 4 – Fly by the Mun! Mission 5 – Land a Probe on the Mun! Mission 6 – Land a Kerbal on Minmus! (and Return) Part 2 – Interplanetary Travel To be continued… *Note - This guide does not teach you how to play KSP. Use the in-game tutorials and/or watch Scott Manley videos on YouTube. Mission 1 – Learn to Science! - We don’t have the technology to get to space yet, so we’ll just learn how to science - In the VAB, build a ship with o Mk1 Command Pod o Mystery Goo Containment Unit - Name/Save the ship and Launch - From LaunchPad o Crew Report (1.5) o EVA Report (2.4) o Take Surface Sample (9.0) o Observe Mystery Goo (3.0) - Recover Vessel (Mission 15.9/15.9 Total Science) - In the R&D Facility unlock o Basic Rocketry (5) o Engineering 101 (5) o 5.9 remaining - The liquid fueled engines and decouplers should help get us to space and back Mission 2 – Go to Space! - We should be able to use the liquid fueled engines to escape the atmosphere - In the VAB, build a ship with o Mk1 Command Pod o Mk16 Parachute (Stage 0) o 2x Mystery Goo Containment Unit o 2x 2HOT Thermometer o TD-12 Decoupler (Stage 1) o 5x FL-T100 Fuel Tank o 4x Basic Fin o LV-45 “Swivel” Liquid Fuel Engine (Stage 2) - Name/Save the ship and Launch - Launch! - In Space Near Kerbin o Crew Report (5.0) o EVA Report (8.0) o Observe Mystery Goo (10.0) o Log Temperature (8.0) - Decouple and Parachute down - From wherever you landed (try to save Kerbin’s Water for later missions) o EVA Report (2.4) o Take Surface Sample (9.0) o Observe Mystery Goo (3.0) o Log Temperature (2.4) - Recover Vessel (8.0) (Mission 55.8/61.7 Total Science) - In the R&D Facility unlock o General Rocketry (20) o Stability (18) o Survivability (15) o 8.7 Remaining - Larger fuel tanks and radial decouplers should get us an orbit-worthy ship Mission 3 – Orbit Kerbin! - We don’t have an efficient enough engine to get to the Mun so we’ll settle for high orbit - In the VAB, build a ship with o Mk1 Command Pod o Mk16 Parachute (Stage 0) o 2x Mystery Goo Containment Unit o 2x 2HOT Thermometer o 2x PresMat Barometer o Heat Shield (1.25m) o TD-12 Decoupler (Stage 1) o 5x FL-T200 Fuel Tank o 4x AV-T1 Winglet o LV-45 “Swivel” Liquid Fuel Engine (Stage 2) o 2x TT-38K Radial Decoupler (Stage 2) o 2x RT-10 “Hammer” Solid Fuel Booster (Stage 3) o 2x Aerodynamic Nose Cone - Name/Save the ship and Launch - In Space High Over Kerbin (250KM) o Crew Report (7.5) o EVA Report (12.0) o Observe Mystery Goo (15.0) o Log Pressure Data (18.0) o Log Temperature (12.0) - De-Orbit, Decouple and Parachute down - From wherever you landed, as long as it’s not the same place as before (Water gives more) o EVA Report (2.4) o Take Surface Sample (9.0) o Observe Mystery Goo (3.0) o Log Pressure Data (3.6) o Log Temperature (2.4) - Recover Vessel (10.0) (Mission 94.9/103.6 Total Science) - In the R&D Facility unlock o Advanced Rocketry (45) o Basic Science (45) o 13.6 Remaining - The LV-909 “Terrier” is our ticket to the Mun Mission 4 – Mun Flyby! - Let’s try to get a closer look before trying to land (and some science for a nice probe) - In the VAB, build a ship with o Mk1 Command Pod o Mk16 Parachute (Stage 0) o 2x Mystery Goo Containment Unit o 2x 2HOT Thermometer o 2x PresMat Barometer o SC-9001 Science Jr. o Heat Shield (1.25m) o TD-12 Decoupler (Stage 1) o FL-T400 Fuel Tank o LV-909 “Terrier” Liquid Fuel Engine (Stage 2) o TD-12 Decoupler (Stage 3) o 3x FL-T400 Fuel Tank o 4x AV-T1 Winglet o LV-45 “Swivel” Liquid Fuel Engine (Stage 4) o 2x TT-38K Radial Decoupler (Stage 4) o 2x BACC “Thumper” Solid Fuel Booster (Stage 5) o 2x Aerodynamic Nose Cone - Name/Save the ship and Launch - For an extra challenge, go for a free return trajectory - In Space High Over The Mun o Crew Report (10.0) o EVA Report (16.0) o Observe Materials Bay (50.0) o Observe Mystery Goo (20.0) o Log Pressure Data (24.0) o Log Temperature (16.0) - De-Orbit, Decouple and Parachute down - If you happen to land somewhere new, grab some extra science - Recover Vessel (12.0) (Mission 148.0/161.6 Total Science) - In the R&D Facility unlock o Flight Control (45) o Electrics (90) (26.6 Remaining) - The OKTO, Photovoltic Panels, and Reaction Wheel will be essential to our probes Mission 5 – Land a probe on The Mun! - Time to try a landing…without putting any Kerbals at risk - In the VAB, build a ship with o Probodobodyne OKTO o 4x OX-SAT Photovoltic Panels o 4x Z-100 Rechargeable Battery Pack o Small Inline Reaction Wheel o Communotron 16 o 2x 2HOT Thermometer o 2x PresMat Barometer o SC-9001 Science Jr. o 2x Mystery Goo Containment Unit o FL-T200 Fuel Tank o 4x LT-05 Micro Landing Strut o LV-909 “Terrier” Liquid Fuel Engine (Stage 0) o TD-12 Decoupler (Stage 1) o 4x FL-T400 Fuel Tank o 4x AV-T1 Winglet o LV-45 “Swivel” Liquid Fuel Engine (Stage 2) o 2x TT-38K Radial Decoupler (Stage 4) o 2x BACC “Thumper” Solid Fuel Booster (Stage 5) o 2x Aerodynamic Nose Cone - Name/Save the ship and Launch - In Space Near The Mun o Observe Mystery Goo (12.2) o Log Pressure Data (25.2) o Log Temperature (16.8) - Landed on The Mun o Observe Materials Bay (49.0) o Observe Mystery Goo (16.8) o Log Pressure Data (33.6) o Log Temperature (22.4) - Return to KSC (Mission 176.0/202.6 Total Science) - In the R&D Facility unlock o Fuel Systems (90) o Landing (90) (22.6 Remaining) - The external fuel duct will help us design a return vehicle for a Minmus mission Mission 6 – Land a Kerbal on Minmus! (and Return) - Finally it’s time to go where no Kerbal has gone before - In the VAB, build a ship with o Mk1 Command Pod o Mk16 Parachute (Stage 0) o 2x Mystery Goo Containment Unit o 2x 2HOT Thermometer o 2x PresMat Barometer o Heat Shield (1.25m) o TD-12 Decoupler (Stage 1) o FL-T100 Fuel Tank o LV-909 “Terrier” Liquid Fuel Engine (Stage 2) o TD-12 Decoupler (Stage 3) o SC-9001 Science Jr. o 2x FL-T200 Fuel Tank (Beside the Science Jr.) o 4x Aerodynamic Nose Cone (Top and Bottom) o 2x FTX-2 External Fuel Duct (Fuel tanks to Terrier) o LV-909 “Terrier” Liquid Fuel Engine (Stage 4) o 4x LT-1 Landing Struts o TD-12 Decoupler (Stage 5) o 3x FL-T800 Fuel Tank o 4x AV-T1 Winglet o LV-45 “Swivel” Liquid Fuel Engine (Stage 6) o 4x TT-38K Radial Decoupler (Stage 6) o 4x BACC “Thumper” Solid Fuel Booster (Stage 7) o 4x Aerodynamic Nose Cone - Name/Save the ship and Launch - In Space Near Minmus o EVA Report (32.0) o Observe Mystery Goo (40.0) o Log Pressure Data (48.0) o Log Temperature (32.0) - Landed on Minmus o Crew Report (25.0) o EVA Report (40.0) o Take Surface Sample (150.0) o Observe Materials Bay (125.0) o Observe Mystery Goo (50.0) o Log Pressure Data (60.0) o Log Temperature (40.0) - Retreive Data from the Science Jr. - Decouple and Launch back to Kerbin - De-Orbit, Decouple and Parachute down - If you happen to land somewhere new, grab some extra science - Recover Vessel (37.5) (Mission 679.5/702.1 Total Science) This should be more than enough science to escape Kerbin’s SOI and go interplanetary!