Science Junior question

[strider3]

While orbiting the Mun (yay! made it!) I opened the Science Junior pod and saved the data. Before re-entry to Kerbin I reset the Science Junior to close the doors on it...didn't seem likely I would survive re-entry with all those doors open?? After a successful splashdown on Kerbin...I had no science points for the Science Junior pod? Quite upsetting as the science points lost were appreciable. Am I really supposed to re-enter with the science junior bay open?

Vic the newbal

[FancyMouse]

Atmospheric entry itself should not affect science. It's just visual effect. Your science will not get lost unless the part really explodes.

You don't get science probably because you transmitted while you're in orbit of Mun? That will transmit science, lose the science experiment, while the bay is still open and marked as inoperable. The desired way is to just keep the data without transmitting, and you'll get the recovery return.

[swjr-swis]

21 minutes ago, Victor3 said:

Before re-entry to Kerbin I reset the Science Junior to close the doors on it...didn't seem likely I would survive re-entry with all those doors open?? After a successful splashdown on Kerbin...I had no science points for the Science Junior pod? Quite upsetting as the science points lost were appreciable. Am I really supposed to re-enter with the science junior bay open?

I underlined the part that made the science disappear: resetting the module will essentially wipe it, so you can re-run the experiment.

Two things you could've done to keep the data:

• Not reset it and leave the doors open. I've salvaged science jr modules with open doors plenty of times. There doesn't seem to be much of an effect from the open doors, and a safe deorbit trajectory for a closed modules seems to be safe for an open one too.
• But if the realism thing bugs you: you could've done an EVA with one of the Kerbals (has to be a scientist), rightclicked on the Science Jr, and Collect the data. Then when you go board your command module again, one of the options is to store the data. Your science at that point is now safe for retrieval in the command module, and you can reset the Science Jr.

Edited March 31, 2016 by swjr-swis
correct wording

[Plusck]

1 hour ago, swjr-swis said:

•  (has to be a scientist)

I think this is a bit confusing - between function and aesthetics.

It has to be a scientist if you want to use the Science Jr. again or if you want to restore it so that it looks closed, because with this and with the Goo cannisters, when you take data out or transmit it, the experiment becomes inoperative and stays open until restored - and restoring can only be done by a scientist.

Also, restoring has to be done on EVA, not from inside the ship (unless you have the MPL... but that is a bit off-topic).

However, a pilot or engineer on EVA can take the data out and this data will be automatically stored in the command pod as soon as the pilot boards it again. There is no need for a scientist if all you want is to store the results of the experiment and get the science points on return to Kerbin. However, you will only ever be able to do the experiment once per mission without a scientist.

Still, from a realism point of view, your Science Jr. will be left open to the elements until it is restored. From the realism standpoint, though, this doesn't matter because you don't care about the contents because you've already observed them (destructively, apparently) and stored the results safely in the pod

Edited April 1, 2016 by Plusck

[strider3]

Question answered! Do not reset the Science Junior pod and allow re-entry with the pod's doors open. Looks wrong...but works right.

Thank you gang.

Vic the newbal

Edited April 1, 2016 by strider3

[Snark]

And just to be clear:  This isn't a thing specific to the Science Jr.  Choosing "reset" on any science instrument means "erase any science it contains".  That's what it's for.

If you think of the button as being named "Erase" rather than "Reset", you get the idea. 

It just happens to be the case that for the Science Jr. and the goo unit, it also has a visible physical result, i.e. shutting doors, whereas for other science instruments there's no animation.  But the results are the same.