How do you level your kerbals quickly?

[Evanitis]

My science crew went MIA the other day when I was waiting for the transfer window for getting back from Duna. The experts in the Space Center swear that it was a surprize Kraken attack, and had nothing to do with the fact that the parking orbit might have extended into Ike's SoI. While we mourn our losses, we plan for replacements.

I'm looking for a single trip that could get my crew to a reasonably high level (like 4 stars) in a not too long or complicated mission. An easy landing, or multiple orbits in the Jool SoI maybe? I see the xp numbers on the wiki, but I'm not sure how much I need. Of course I recruit from LKO and the moons, so I'm not starting with complete greenhorns.

So, how would you do it?

Edited June 26, 2015 by Evanitis

[Warzouz]

Jool mission should be the way to go. Further more the place is quite nice. You could send a "bus" full of kerbals for easy landing on Pol, Bop and Vall. That should get you 75XP.

OR you could do a simple fly-by of all the moons of Jool for 57 (including Kerbin and Kerbol orbit). This leaves you only 7 to get (flyby of mun + flag on minmus), or 2 Jool's moon orbiting, or 1 moon landing.

The sad thing about XP is that they don't increas immediately. So You can't do a "always in orbit" mission. The crew would stop in a space station and wait for the next ship.

I wish there was another XP mecanic. IRL, we learn from experience immediatly, not when we return home. The KSP XP feature is like table top role playing game XP (where you don't have time to update you character sheet during gaming session).

Edited June 26, 2015 by Warzouz

[Evanitis]

The sad thing about XP is that they don't increas immediately.

Yeah, that one I knew. Guess I'll send a mining rig and/or science center with the bus, so it'll be there once the leveled crew arrives... a few years later.

I miss my eggheads.

Got a -rough- dV estimate for 3 munar landings?

[Claw]

Yeah, I often end up sending them on short missions to Mun and Minmus to boost a few levels before sending them elsewhere. Since (as Warzouz said) they have to come home to level.

That being said, I'm sure someone has a "shortest possible" profile that they will share soon.

Cheers,

~Claw

[Grumman]

What I would call quick levelling only goes up to level 3:

2 points from Kerbin orbit.

2 points from a Mun flyby.

6 points from a brief flight out into Kerbol's SoI.

6.25 points from planting a flag on Minmus.

[Evanitis]

I often end up sending them on short missions to Mun and Minmus

Yes, that's my usual way of operation too, but now getting the crews is my highest priority (kinda' my only priority). I have the feeling that with excessive time-warping, the Pol-Bop-Vall trip wouldn't take much more time than Mun-Minmus.

[Warzouz]

Yeah, I often end up sending them on short missions to Mun and Minmus to boost a few levels before sending them elsewhere. Since (as Warzouz said) they have to come home to level.

That being said, I'm sure someone has a "shortest possible" profile that they will share soon.

Cheers,

~Claw

As I editied, I think this would be a

- Flyby of each Jool's moons + landing at Pol = 67xp

- Flyby of each Jool's moons + orbiting 2 of them = 65xp

Personnaly I usually fo the Mun/Minmus plant flag + Kerbol SOI peek. -> Level 3

Edited June 26, 2015 by Warzouz

[Claw]

Personnaly I usually fo the Mun/Minmus plant flag + Kerbol SOI peek. -> Level 3

Yeah, this. Or what Grumman said.

[Streetwind]

There's a thread in the Challenge subforum about the fastest possible way to get a Kerbal to level 5, maybe you'll find it useful

[Sharpy]

Got a -rough- dV estimate for 3 munar landings?

3 munar landings are definitely past the break-even point of taking ISRU+infrastructure instead of more fuel tanks. (if you have one decent engineer that is...)

[Evanitis]

3 munar landings are definitely past the break-even point of taking ISRU+infrastructure

Thanks, just the notion I needed. I only lost the scientists, my engineers are fine. I wasn't sure what's the merit of having my whole Minmus rig on orbit instead of the surface, and why I'm keeping that ancient, mis-designed nuclear tug attached instead of salvaging it. Now theses decisions pay off...