Just unlocked a bunch of science stuff! How do I use it?

[Interstellar Yeet]

https://imgur.com/a/MvLiETX First of all, here's my science tree and all my stuff unlocked. I know it's a pain that you can't see what parts i have but at least now you know my nodes in the tree that is useable.

So, mainly I want to know about the drilling machine. I plan on going to Minmus first since it's really easy. I could use any tips or information at all because I got no clue how this drilling works. I need to know how I should build my ship, and what do i exactly do with it? I know you can make fuel out of ore. So do I just land the drill on Minmus, and when I have ore that can be made into fuel I can fly my drilling machine up to orbit and dock with whatever other ship and just re fuel it, for the sake of an interplanetary flight further from minmus for example? And also how exactly do you re fuel and what parts do I need for that? Thanks for all tips.

[Superfluous J]

Drilling is not science, it's a way to get fuel from other planets and asteroids.

It's a pretty complicated subject, actually, so Instead of detailing it I'll point you to a couple relevant Wiki pages:

https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Resource_harvester

https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Ore

https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Convert-O-Tron_250

https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/M700_Survey_Scanner

[Xd the great]

Have a drill, a refinary, an ore tank, a semi empty fuel tank, solar panels, and a bunch of radiators.

Somehow attach all those together, make sure the drill touches the surface, start drilling, and use the refinery to make fuel.

[Foxster]

You really don't need to mine at all in KSP to visit any of the planets. I personally find it just complicates things. By the time you have built a craft that can mine you could have just packed some more fuel and not bothered. 

You definitely don't need to it for a hop and a skip to Minmus - unless you just want to do it for the fun of it.  

Edited November 6, 2018 by Foxster