Sattelites

[Snikersnee]

I was looking at the stock ksp rockets, and i noticed one called the Z-MAP satellite. (actual name has "launch kit" but i'm talking about the satellite itself) And the wiki page said, and i quote,

"The satellite itself fulfills little purpose. Antennas are only required for sending Science results back to Kerbin, but the satellite has no science experiments on board."

So i thought, what is the purpose of sending satellites into space (especially in sandbox mode) If all they do is collect some science and then just orbit. So i was wondering if there were any mods that added purpose to satellites. Specifically i mean things like communicating with probes/rockets, mapping planets, or transmitting data in a sort of "web" if the data source is too far from the KSC's receiving dish.

[Feradose]

SCANsat, Remote Tech 2 (Warning: This might make you hate probes and make you want to strand kerbals)

And maybe if you plan big, Station science mod?

SCANsat adds planetary mapping and resource locating.

Remote Tech 2 adds probe network and gives you a lot of juicy new antenna parts. And your probes wont function as well unless you have direct connection (and no connection is no control) to KSC. (It adds signal speed on top of that which can be disabled).

Edited June 23, 2015 by Feradose

[amorymeltzer]

So i thought, what is the purpose of sending satellites into spaaace (especially in sandbox mode) If all they do is collect some science and then just orbit. So i was wondering if there were any mods that added purpose to satellites. Specifically i mean things like communicating with probes/rockets, mapping planets, or transmitting data in a sort of "web" if the data source is too far from the KSC's receiving dish.

What is the point of doing anything? It's fun! Probes can be easier to design since they're often lighter than providing all that silly space for your Kerbals, and you probably have fewer misgivings about leaving them in space, on a moon, or crashing back into Kerbin.

Also, as Kweller said, get SCANsat - it's just awesome.

[EatVacuum]

Reasons to launch satellites in stock - resource mapping. contracts to earn $$$

Mods that make launching satellites a lot more worthwhile;

Scansat

as mentioned above, Scansat is much better (as in more immersive, challenging, fun) than stock resource scanning - stock is get a satellite into polar orbit, turn on scanner and wait a few seconds and you see everything. May as well turn on cheat mode and see biomes etc, without bothering with a satellite at all. Scansat has multiple scanners each with a purpose, best orbital altitude etc., and you have to wait until your satellite covers the whole planet in its scans before you see everything. This is not too tedious as you can run up to fairly high time acceleration while scanning, but it makes you think about it. Scans also return science so bonus cuz moar science!. Someone has a contract pack that is dependent on Scansat that gives you satellite contracts.

Dmagic orbital science -

a bunch of extra science parts to make probes more useful, as well as satellites. Moar science! Mind you, you can put those parts on a crewed vessel, but still at least a probe can earn decent science. Dmagic comes with extra contracts that you will need to send out probes and satellites with his science parts to complete. And he does the same for rovers.

Remotetech - (warning - adds A LOT of challenge - some say it is for masochists, but really it is only moderate additional challenge once you get past the learning curve).

All communication between vessels has to be either direct transmission to KSC, as mentioned previously, but you can also link through multiple satellites in a communications network. In fact you will have to if KSC is on the far side or Kerbin or you are landing on the far side of the Mun, or any planet with a probe. Probes lose controllability if there is no comms link, Crewed vessels operate under local control, but if there is no network to connect back to KSC, you can't transmit science home. Remotetech has many antennas with increasing range as tech climbs which you will need to have before going past the Mun. This mod really makes putting up a geosynchronous satellite network a priority before your space program pushes out too far. There is also, I believe a contract pack someone put out that goes with remotetech.

Add a life support mod (I use Tac Life Support personally).

This doesn't really add to satellites per se, but the logistics of sending kerbals out past Kerbin orbit means planning for trip duration and adding supply parts to crewed vessels. Basic capsules typically have 3 days food, enough for orbit or at best a quick run to the Mun and back. Past that, better pack extra food, water and air. And if you are going to another planet, much more so, so it makes it really worth while to use probes to go to Duna, Eve etc. first. You can send them with much smaller rockets and earlier tech than is required for rockets carrying Kerbals and months of supplies - they add a lot of mass.

Interstellar -

adds beamed power to the late game, which in turn requires power generation either in space (satellites) or on the ground. And then more satellites to operate a power distribution network, somewhat like the comms network of remotetech but maybe easier. And IIRC (it's been a while since I used it) there is a late game telescope that uses gravitational lesning so you have to put it way out past Eeloo, which means with a crewed ship with warp drive or a long trip for a satellite.

There's probably more out there but those are the ones I am most familiar with