Satellite Questions and Science

[Huntn]

I have no experience with satellites yet. Looking for info on satellites and orbiting the Mun, specifically Stayputnik. I've noticed during manned flights that a transmitted report carries much less data than a carried home report. I don't understand that. As long as you have electricity, eventually an entire report should be able to be transmitted, especially the kind of info in the narrative- "Hey, the Mystery Goo got hard!!"

Anyway, is this the case with satellites? Data must be physically retrieved to get full benefit? And are satellites in themselves adequate as a source of science gathering? And do they need things like mystery goo, thermometers, and science station attached to them, which from my experience does not get the info back to Kerbin, without recovering the equipment. I assume a reaction wheel is required to prevent them from spinning? Do satellites have SAS?

What is the best way to approach this- for Mun orbital missions should I be putting enough rockets on it to bring back to Kerbin, and a parachute on as part of a science package and mystery goo modules to recover it that way? Thanks!

Edited March 29, 2015 by Huntn

[Starhawk]

You should probably take a look at the science page on the wiki.

For most experiments, the value is much lower when the data is transmitted rather than returning the experiment itself. Science data always requires some experiment to be carried out. Kerbals can do EVA reports and gather surface samples, so they are a type of science apparatus. Manned command pods have the capability to do crew reports, so they are also science apparatus.

Unmanned probe cores cannot do any experiments, so if you want science from your satellite you will have to put science apparatus on it, as well as an antenna to transmit the data (assuming you don't want to return it to Kerbin). The various probe cores have different capabilities. The Stayputnik has no SAS capabilities at all.

Best results from a science probe, to the Mun for instance, will be from returning as many experiments safely to Kerbin as possible. The wiki entry I linked to has details for science values for each experiment as well.

Hope this helps.

Happy landings!

p.s. Usually the term satellite is reserved for something that remains in a specific orbit once it is placed, whereas probe is the common term for an unmanned spacecraft in general.

Edited March 29, 2015 by Starhawk

[TheXRuler]

What is the best way to approach this- for Mun orbital missions should I be putting enough rockets on it to bring back to Kerbin, and a parachute on as part of a science package and mystery goo modules to recover it that way? Thanks!

If you wish to get the maximum amount of science you will always have to retrieve the experiment or store the data in a command capsule and safely return that. Not that you can only have ONE experiment of each type in a command capsule, no matter the size. If you wish to store more than one set of data (eg. two goo reports in one capsule) your only choice is to use the Mobile Processing Lab.

This reduction in science points is a way to nerf unmanned one way missions, as launching a probe to land on the mun is cheaper than launching something that can land and return. However I find that with the biomes added to every body in stock KSP now, it is quite possible to get enough science to escape the Kerbin's sphere of influence solely by transmitting.

[moogoob]

Most of the time, I use probes/satellites either just for fun or to complete contracts. The "explore" contracts don't specify "return ALL science" from a biome/situation, so a less-efficient transmission can complete the contract just fine.

As well, not having to build recovery into your mission allows completion of such contracts with significantly reduced complexity, so it's worth it to just transmit. EG, my probe landers don't need to return to space, and I don't need to bring crew along. As well, my mission is done as soon as that "Contract Completed" note pops up.

EDIT: through transmitting alone I was able to complete the explore contracts for Jool, Pol and Bop in one flight, with one craft.

[Bev7787]

The transmission value is normally a little bit higher if you're using a lab module.

[Huntn]

Thanks for the advice and info guys! It gives me a better perspective.