Larger "Explore" missions to unclutter mission center

[Mokmo]

Basically, fewer missions that cover many others yet still give out rewards like the smaller missions did. The missions window can't have many missions, but when we're ready to explore Duna, the Eve contract shows up, or we'd like the Laythe contract to be there as we reach for Jool, but only Bop and Pol are offered...

Example:

Explore Mun and Explore Minmus become "Explore the moons of Kerbin" and have objectives and sub-objectives that are the same of both missions. Added goodness: another reward for finishing it

Combining Inner planets, Outer Planets, the joolian system still keeps them all at a manageable size.

Another one would be the "reach an altitude record of x" because we've all missed a step or two on our way up to space.

[tater]

I actually sort of disagree (but I sort of agree, too ). I'd rather see fewer commercial contracts cluttering up the Mission Planning Center (it is NOT mission control, that needs to be renamed, dunno what squad was thinking there, the tracking center is really "mission control," but I digress).

I want more Explore Missions, and in fact I want most of the pure science "contracts" and most of the base/station contracts folded into Explore type contracts. Some of these would get bigger, mind you, I like the idea of large "missions." Really these are "projects" of your program… like Mercury or Gemini. The reason to split some out are that I think some should not appear until you complete the mission the precedes it.

Progression might be:

Achieve Spaceflight:

The various early milestones would all fit into a single Program as you suggest, along with the altitude records, etc.

Do atmospheric science (get temp or crew report from some altitude ranges).

Manned flight and recovery (get to some altitude and land safely).

Reach space.

Reenter safely.

(unlocks BOF)

Basic Orbital Flight:

Achieve Orbit.

Science from orbit.

Reenter successfully.

(unlocks AOF, Cismunar, Cisminmar Flight)

Advanced Orbital Flight:

Achieve a specific LKO. (shown on map)

Change orbital plane (some amount shown on map like a sat contract).

Rendezvous with another part (get within physics range of a part after having left physics range (so it could be part of your own craft, but you have to separate from it, first), then get within 100m or something).

Dock with another spacecraft (might give you a docking port as you would get in a parts testing contract).

EVA.

EVA with separation of some distance and return (2km?).

(unlocks CF and MF1, MF2?, Orbital Science, plus Extra-Kerbin Flight)

Orbital Science:

Various science from orbit stuff goes here.

Stay in orbit XX orbits.

?

(unlocks Build Space Station)

Cismunar Flight:

Achieve some high apoapsis above Kerbin.

Convert flight to suborbital at apoapsis, and successfully reenter (testing higher velocity reentry, sort of like the recent Orion capsule mission).

Science from high orbit.

(unlocks MF1, MF2?, and EKF)

Cisminmar Flight:

Achieve apoapsis above Mun, below Minmus.

Convert flight to suborbital at apoapsis, and successfully reenter (testing higher velocity reentry, sort of like the recent Orion capsule mission).

Munar Flight (Explore the Mün, part 1):

Achieve munar SoI.

Science from near the Mun.

Achieve munar orbit.

Science from LMO.

Achieve escape velocity from munar orbit (likely to Kerbin SoI for reentry).

Impact the Mun (landing counts as well)

(Unlocks MF2 and Minmus missions)

Advanced Munar Flight (Explore the Mün, part 2):

Land on the Mun.

Science from munar surface

Sample from Mun.

Return sample to Kerbin.

(unlocks EKF, and Minmus missions)

Explore Minmus part 1:

Like the Mun.

Explore Minmus part 2:

Like the Mun

Extra-Kerbin Flight:

Achieve Kerbin escape velocity.

Achieve Solar orbit.

Transmit data from solar orbit (need a part to do this as the thermometer won't).

Achieve maneuver with an interaction with a non-Kerbin SoI.

(unlocks all other first exploration missions (First Exploration of Duna, etc))

The unlocks listed above are tweak able so that there can be different paths taken. Some steps require one before, others might be skipped (though at a loss of funds, etc).