Satellites First?

[The Flying Kerbal]

Hey Guys & Gals,

I'm just curious as a newbie to KSP, is it possible to acquire enough science to launch a satellite into orbit before launching a Kerbal out of Kerbin's atmosphere?

[Sharpy]

Not that hard, especially in Science mode, where you have EVA unlocked from moment one and don't struggle for funds. There's a lot of science all over KSC and over Kerbin in general, much of which you can obtain in a roller (two MK1s serving as wheels), and then with a simple jet-powered rover once you unlock early spaceplane parts. Upgrading Astronaut Complex takes some cash to unlock EVA to be able to collect the science without dozens of re-launches though. Getting the funds from Kerbin exploration alone, without spaceflight will be a bit of a challenge though.

Edited January 17, 2017 by Sharpy

[Choctofliatrio2.0]

Not hard, but tedious, especially in career.

[Ohm is Futile]

Depends if you want your satellite to be useful or not. If by satellite you mean a Stayputnik probe core that probably won't have solar panels or meaningful antennas, then it's not that hard. If you mean something with SAS, solar panels and better antennas than HG-5s then it's probably quite a challenge depending on your science and funds sliders on career.

[Gordon Fecyk]

35 minutes ago, Sharpy said:

much of which you can obtain in a roller (two MK1s serving as wheels)

I feel bad for the poor kerbals riding in that contraption. At least kerbals can go EVA while landed at Kerbin at first.

Did something similar with two Mk1 storage bays and an OKTO to explore the Mun before we invented wheels.

[Peder]

I think it is quite easy to build and send up a basic sattelite with a small antenna and solar panel + battery very fast.

You get the solar panel in tier 3, and if i remember correctly then you need less than 65+ science  to get the solar panel.

You can find 60 science at ksp if you like, or the area arround ksp example land in water gather science, and land on different terrain and gather science ect.

here are tips for gathering science in early game

 

[CaptainTrebor]

There is a mod called "Better Than Starting Manned" that gives you probes before manned capsules.

However I have no knowlage of this mod and whether it works in the latest KSP versions.

Scott Manley video on it:

 

[Ten Key]

7 minutes ago, CaptainTrebor said:

There is a mod called "Better Than Starting Manned" that gives you probes before manned capsules.

However I have no knowlage of this mod and whether it works in the latest KSP versions.

If I remember correctly, BTSM development halted at version 1.04. The mod author may pick it back up again once Squad stops making major changes to the game. Unfortunately, the BTSM release thread was one of the posts eaten in the recent forum glitch.

[Hodari]

3 hours ago, Ten Key said:

If I remember correctly, BTSM development halted at version 1.04. The mod author may pick it back up again once Squad stops making major changes to the game. Unfortunately, the BTSM release thread was one of the posts eaten in the recent forum glitch.

There's a newer version called Unmanned Before Manned which worked up until 1.2.x. at least.  Not sure if it's been officially updated for the most current version, but last time I checked, it worked except for one empty tech tree node blocking progress(which could be fixed by editing a couple things easily enough.)

[The Flying Kerbal]

That's the sort of thing I would really like to play!  It's not  too far removed from the real timeline, yet is sufficiently Kerbal to make it quirky and fun.

I must look out for Unmanned Before manned and see how it plays.

[Hodari]

56 minutes ago, The Flying Kerbal said:

That's the sort of thing I would really like to play!  It's not  too far removed from the real timeline, yet is sufficiently Kerbal to make it quirky and fun.

I must look out for Unmanned Before manned and see how it plays.

It definitely is fun and even more interesting now with the new comm system, especially if you use the option to require signal for any probe control at all, disable extra groundstations, and/or increase the occlusion modifiers a bit.

[Pusteblume!]

The important thing with "Better Than Starting Manned" (BTSM) is not so much that it indeed focusses on unmanned first.

It is rather that it is a complete overhaul that enhances the campaign game in a way, that it REALLY becomes a challenge.

Early on you have to solve "puzzles" as how to get the needed science progression - meaning you have to find a way to reach certain altitudes, science collection heights and the like with a VERY restricted selection of parts.

And later on you have to very carefully plan missions, you really progress in steps out of the Kerbin system into the reaches of the other planets.

Or in other words, it makes a game out of the space simulator.

 

I like it very much and hope Flowerchild will continue it (yes, it is stuck in 1.04, but very much playable there)

Edited February 6, 2017 by Pusteblume!

[GoSlash27]

Not in stock career, no. Personally, I think is *should* be easier to do unmanned probes at the beginning. As it stands now, it's possible to put a Kerbal in orbit and recover him safely before you even have a probe core.

Best,
-Slashy

[Wanderfound]

19 hours ago, GoSlash27 said:

As it stands now, it's possible to put a Kerbal in orbit and recover him safely before you even have a probe core.

Fairly trivial to do it on your second launch: http://m.imgur.com/a/0zCVG

I'm sure that it's possible earlier if you try hard enough.