Transmit or recover?

[leocrumb]

Im sure this has been asked before, but I keep reading conflicting opinions.

I understand you will receive more "per instance of recovery" but will you eventually get the same science points if you transmit multiple times as you would from recovery?

For example

10 + 5 for recovery (2 times)

and 5 + 5 + 3 + 2 for transmitting (4 times)

But the same total of 20

It seems if not like this then what is the point in transmitting anything ever?

Edited April 30, 2015 by leocrumb

[Lorunification]

No you will not. You have to recover an experiment at least once to get 100%.

The point of transmitting is that if you send a probe somewhere you don't have to recover it in order to get anything out of it.

[THX1138]

You will always get more by recovering. Transmission multiple times reaches a limit after which only recovery provides further science.

[leocrumb]

So if you transmit a few times. You can still make up the difference if you recover the same data later in the game?

Or if I send a probe to transmit some data are any future science points lost forever

Edited April 30, 2015 by leocrumb

[Lorunification]

No you can transmit the data from a probe and still recover the full science during a following mission that includes a return ticket.

You can check that by transmitting some data and then rerun the experiment. The transmission bar should state you get 0 science. But recovery should still provide a science gain.

[leocrumb]

Thanks, makes sense.

[magnemoe]

No you will not. You have to recover an experiment at least once to get 100%.

The point of transmitting is that if you send a probe somewhere you don't have to recover it in order to get anything out of it.

And if you send a ship to Duna you don't have to wait a year before using the science. if you crash you still keep the transmited science.

Note that for most science its best too both transmit and store, only the crew and eva reports, temperature and pressure will return 100% with one return sample.

[kludermor]

Just to make sure I understand:

Should I always transmit science and then run the experiment again and store the data even when I plan to return to Kerbin?