Scientifically Experiments Storage (service bays)

[LemonSplatter]

We got some service modules but they are wide and short. Im proposing to add Bigger and longer. And when we send probes to orbit i would want a service bay which is sized like sputnik or anything else and in VAB you could put inside it scientifically instruments just to look better. Kinda like fairing but it could not be opened. so somehow to do the science by right clicking the probe part and you can choose which experiment you want to do.

[Buster Charlie]

I thought of this in the past also. To keep the parts cost and drag down, it would be ideal to have a system like KIS made stock, and the science  Bay could have inventory space which you drag and drop experiments into. Once you add experiments and launch the vessel, you wouldn't open it like a KIS container, you would just get various science  options based on the contents.

 

For visual flare, the science Bay could have some model swapping for antennas, booms, sensors, etc that could deplot based on the experiment, but all of this would count as one object.

 

I had also wanted something similar for a basic utilities container which you could  store, monopropellant, electric charge, and maybe one other resource in various ratios and amounts to provide basic utilities to a probe or command pod without it looking like a jumble of parts.

 

Bonus points for integrated heat sheild, parachutes,  or floats.

[Loren Pechtel]

I've been thinking of something along these lines, also.

1.25m component "Science bay", a bit longer than the materials bay--and also a square version for rovers.  When you place it it has a series of check boxes to say what goes inside--it can include any combination of instruments you have unlocked.  The price of the bay is simply the sum of the prices of the instruments you put in it.

Since it's inline rather than hanging on the side you don't have pairing problems with balancing your rocket.  Since it's one part it keeps the part count down to help with the physics load.