Science mode: What should I unlock next?

[Dyingsoul]

I'm playing in science mode currently and I'm wondering what should I anlock/go for in the future. A little help would be grateful because I've seen the distances in the solar system and I've been freaked out.

Here is my current progress:

There are a few things that I didnt do yet, but I feel the urge I have to get to Minmus soon.

Edited May 16, 2015 by Dyingsoul
Answered

[Gaarst]

Use science to unlock science to get more science.

Unlocking the science parts will give you opportunity to get even more science using them. And you can almost complete the science tree without leaving the Kerbin system if you explore the different biomes of the Mun and Minmus and get science there.

[rcp27]

It kind of depends where you want your career to be going. When I hit that sort of position, I was beginning to find the Skipper was a bit weak for some of the bigger launches I wanted, so I headed for the Mainsail ("heavier rocketry"). That gives you the oompf you need for bigger launches. Also the "Propulsion Systems" node gives you the 48-7S "Spark" engine, which is extremely useful for things like satellite contracts and all manner of other purposes (it has its uses in lander engines on lower gravity places like Minmus too).

[KerikBalm]

Don't look at distances, look at dV...

http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/images/thumb/7/73/KerbinDeltaVMap.png/600px-KerbinDeltaVMap.png

The dV to orbit for worlds with atmospheres is a bit out of date.... but the important thing:

It doesn't take much more dV to get to Duna, than it does to get to Minmus (1 way probes are easy, getting to the surface, back up, and back ot kerbin is significantly harder/ takes signficantly more dV than a trip to minmus)

Other than unlocking more science parts so you can get more science without leaving kerbins SOI... look for the nuke part, unlock the other prerequisite for that.

LV-Ns are great for interplanetary stages (or even just the transfer to Mun/Minmus)

[Dyingsoul]

Use science to unlock science to get more science.

Yeah I was thinking about it but i wasn't sure about it. Seems it's a good idea then, thank you.

48-7S "Spark" engine, which is extremely useful for things like satellite contracts

I'm playing science mode, not carreer so I think I have no contracts.

And you can almost complete the science tree without leaving the Kerbin system

Are you sure? I mean I'll try but I've been on Mun only once but I've carried all the data I could I believe.

[KerikBalm]

The Mun has multiple biomes.

So does Minmus.

http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Mun#Biome_list

http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Minmus#Biome_list

Doing every science experiemnt possible at each of those biomes, plus kerbin biomes, should give you enough sciene ot unlock most of the tree (They made it bigger in 1.0, so maybe there is more need to go farther out, but they also made the temperature and pressure scans work in more places).

Don't forget to do the experiments for "in space near" and "in space high over" - The Eva reports in space above those biomes give science for each biome, and the grav scans do too (in addition to space high over).

[Dyingsoul]

Yeah there are a lot of things to do! Too bad I am unable to track biomes in-game. Okay I see that where I've been in the Research Archives but still cant see WHAT TO DO next, on those planets that I've visited. Yeah I can compare the biome lists in the browser and my science archives but would be better if I could do that ingame without searching. Thanks for the links btw!