Science Jr through the fire -- how??

[Loren Pechtel]

I decided the mods were updated enough to get back to playing the game.  While things are in general going ok except for lots of crashes on scene switches I find myself completely unable to bring a Science Jr. back from space.  It's behind a heat shield but goes boom anyway somewhat before maximum heat.

[W. Kerman]

I think I saw this before.... Close the Sci Jr doors to fully protect it during reentry. Hope it helps!

[Loren Pechtel]

2 minutes ago, W. Kerman said:

I think I saw this before.... Close the Sci Jr doors to fully protect it during reentry. Hope it helps!

Duh!  I play with ASS running so if I have an engineer on board the doors will be automatically closed--but so far I've only sent up Jebediah.  I didn't even think of the fact the doors would be left open.

[wumpus]

You really don't need the science jr back.  I'm pretty sure that even Jeb can take out the science, but to reset it you need a scientist. (I *think* he can close the doors.  That  is a separate option than "reset", it closes the doors without a reset.  The thing is still pretty fragile).

My suggestion, don't bring it back.  It typically causes more center of mass issues (flipping your capsule over and blowing everything up) than just itself dying as well.  Typically I try to have the octoprobe unlocked around then so Bob can use it multiple times (and still have SAS), but for earlier flights (assuming you've unlocked EVAs) Jeb can spacewalk out and get it.

[Loren Pechtel]

14 minutes ago, wumpus said:

You really don't need the science jr back.  I'm pretty sure that even Jeb can take out the science, but to reset it you need a scientist. (I *think* he can close the doors.  That  is a separate option than "reset", it closes the doors without a reset.  The thing is still pretty fragile).

My suggestion, don't bring it back.  It typically causes more center of mass issues (flipping your capsule over and blowing everything up) than just itself dying as well.  Typically I try to have the octoprobe unlocked around then so Bob can use it multiple times (and still have SAS), but for earlier flights (assuming you've unlocked EVAs) Jeb can spacewalk out and get it.

I've been running ASS and it transfers the science to the capsule whether or not there's an engineer on board.  Thus I have gotten the science.  It's just disconcerting when half your rocket blows up in the fire.  Every time I've lost the Science Jr and all the other instruments strapped to it but the capsule survives.  I just unlocked EVA.

[foamyesque]

Nosecone, pod, sci jr, pod. Come in from LKO with a 90 degree AoA, then glide like a spaceplane to splashdown.

[pincushionman]

10 hours ago, Loren Pechtel said:

I've been running ASS and it transfers the science to the capsule whether or not there's an engineer on board.  Thus I have gotten the science.  It's just disconcerting when half your rocket blows up in the fire.  Every time I've lost the Science Jr and all the other instruments strapped to it but the capsule survives.  I just unlocked EVA.

Not only is it prone to burning up - as you've discovered - but it's also light and draggy, so even if it does survive down to the lower atmosphere, it's prone to catching the thicker air and flipping your ship out, which is all kids of bad, and the recovery bonus is not worth the effort of bringing it all down. Especially since you've already safely extracted the science.

So instead of having it spin you right round like a record, put it on the same side of the decoupler as the engine and the tank so you can drop it like it's hot and your capsule can land safely and easily, letting the dead weight burn, baby, burn.

Edited December 8, 2016 by pincushionman