Help with MPL

[Kchinger]

So I'm pretty new to the game, just figuring things out. 

My current situation is I've managed to get an MPL with solar panels, batteries, and a scientist with data into about 59k orbit around Mun. I undocked my manned delivery ship (which includes a 2 person passenger compartment to bring a tourist and rescue someone from Mun while I'm there). 

Two things I realized I forgot are an RCS system on either the rescue vehicle or the MPL, so I will maybe have to scrap the rescue, and I can't get undocked properly, they just sit together after I thought I undocked. 

I also forgot an antenna on either the MPL or my main ship. So the lab isn't much good as is, but I figured it should still make science and I'll use KIS to put an antenna on when I come back for another mission, probably to land for the first time. Not sure if I can do the same with RCS. 

However, with the scientist in it and good electricity and he took data with him, it's not doing anything. Right click doesn't give me any useful options, just shows it isn't researching. 

Do I need a command module or probe attached to be able to do anything? What am I missing? 

Can I add RCS and an antenna to a new command module and just dock that, and put another dock on the other side of my new command module to make a working MPL? What are my options here? 

[bewing]

How to use an MPL for non-scientist Kerbals (scientists instinctively know how): Have an MPL, in space, with a scientist or two, an antenna, batteries, and solar panels.

Do experiments. ie. Crew reports, temp readings, pressure readings, EVA reports, etc. When you do an experiment, you get a "results" window. On that window will be an extra yellow button called "Process". Click the button. The experiment is destroyed and converted into "data" inside the MPL. You can fill the MPL with up to 750 points of data, AFAIK. The more data it has, the faster the MPL converts the data into science points, via "research". That final conversion process takes a lot of time, unless you timewarp. The process happens in the background -- that is, you do not have to continuously watch the craft, you can go pilot other ships. When you feel like it, you come back and visit the MPL. You check how much science is available, and you transmit it back to KSC. Transmitting science points takes a lot of EC -- it can take 5 points of EC to transmit 1 point of science, IIRC.

If you want to carry experiments to the MPL to process them, then go and gather them with another ship, fly back to the MPL,  do an EVA to physically move the experiments from the ship they are on and load them onto the ship the has the MPL. Once they are there, click the "Review Reports" button to look at all the experiments you just transferred. Doing that will give you the yellow button you need in order to process the experiments into data.

And it's generally pretty easy to land a lander without RCS. I'd say to not bother with adding those.

[zer0Kerbal]

well several fixes:

use KAS/KIS (two mods) to fly up RCS and Antenna parts - and EVA attach them. Don't forget the wrench! and don't forget the MonoPropellant.

Fly up a patch - a small part with docking ports on both sides, RCS and MP tanks, and has an antenna that can transmit science. I'd also add more batteries or a MP fuel Cell (ODFC would be helpful). Xmitting drains lots of juice.

 

[CBase]

MPL are more useful on interplanetary missions, where transfer times are several 100 days. I tend to double or triple collect any science on interplanetary trips, transfer one into lab and hold rest for Kerbin, so nothing is wasted if my discoverer returns before all science data is processed.

Although you get 25% bonus in research lab when processing science from the Mun, since your scientists are at most level 2 you will only get ~14 sci/day if it is full of data. Returning science in a box to Kerbin is way easier and helps you to get more science faster. Not to forget the hassle to land a MPL back on Kerbin.

[Kchinger]

2 hours ago, bewing said:

 

If you want to carry experiments to the MPL to process them, then go and gather them with another ship, fly back to the MPL,  do an EVA to physically move the experiments from the ship they are on and load them onto the ship the has the MPL. Once they are there, click the "Review Reports" button to look at all the experiments you just transferred. Doing that will give you the yellow button you need in order to process the experiments into data.

And it's generally pretty easy to land a lander without RCS. I'd say to not bother with adding those.

So I carried the experiment back on an EVA, but I'm not getting the "review reports" button when I right click on the MPL. Does it have to be part of a ship, mine is literally just the MPL itself right now?

And my other ship isn't a lander, but I do need to rescue someone from orbit for a contract, I'm not sure I can get perfectly close and null my speed enough to do an EVA transfer without at least a little RCS. I'll try though, I have enough delta v to try anyway. 

[bewing]

1 hour ago, Kchinger said:

So I carried the experiment back on an EVA, but I'm not getting the "review reports" button when I right click on the MPL. Does it have to be part of a ship, mine is literally just the MPL itself right now?

When you carried the experiment back on EVA, did you enter the hatch of the MPL? Or exactly how did you store the experiment into the MPL during the EVA?

Quote

And my other ship isn't a lander, but I do need to rescue someone from orbit for a contract, I'm not sure I can get perfectly close and null my speed enough to do an EVA transfer without at least a little RCS. I'll try though, I have enough delta v to try anyway. 

You may want to watch a few youtube videos on "rendezvous" in KSP. All you need to do is get within 2.2km of your rescue victim at any speed (low speed is best). The key concept for nulling your speed is: using whatever method to actually set the target vessel as an official target (usually selecting it in map mode and clicking the "target" button), then putting your navball into Target mode, locking your SAS to "retrograde" mode, and burning until the navball says 0.0m/s of relative speed. You shouldn't need RCS for that on your craft.

Once you are within 2.2km, the rescue victim will fly over to the rescue craft by themselves. They have 600m/s of deltaV in their EVA jetpack. It's better to use that than using RCS on the rescue craft.

 

Edited October 12, 2019 by bewing

[Kchinger]

54 minutes ago, bewing said:

When you carried the experiment back on EVA, did you enter the hatch of the MPL? Or exactly how did you store the experiment into the MPL during the EVA?

You may want to watch a few youtube videos on "rendezvous" in KSP. All you need to do is get within 2.2km of your rescue victim at any speed (low speed is best). The key concept for nulling your speed is: using whatever method to actually set the target vessel as an official target (usually selecting it in map mode and clicking the "target" button), then putting your navball into Target mode, locking your SAS to "retrograde" mode, and burning until the navball says 0.0m/s of relative speed. You shouldn't need RCS for that on your craft.

Once you are within 2.2km, the rescue victim will fly over to the rescue craft by themselves. They have 600m/s of deltaV in their EVA jetpack. It's better to use that than using RCS on the rescue craft.

 

They took the data from a goo canister on my ship, while it was already undocked, then EVA over and entered the MPL by hatch. When I tried again to EVA, they had the option once outside to "take data." Which makes me think it's in there. Have you used the MPL without an attached probe or command module? 

And yeah, I've done a few rendezvous in LKO but EVA scares me so I usually get within a couple meters as if I'm docking. I'll try a longer distance this time though. 

Thanks

[Draalo]

For a quick check if everything is working: Go on EVA with the scientist, do an EVA report - bord again - just stay on the hatch/ladder, no need to float

After reboarding there should be the option "review data" on the MPL - yellow button is the choice.

Note that you can do an EVA report over every biome again, fill the lab with as much data as you can.

More data: faster resarch, more output overall.

A 2nd scientist will increase speed and output even more - and promoted scientists work better. (in case you bring an antenna consider bringing a 2nd one)

Distance from Kerbin also afflects output - MPL works better in Jool orbit than in Mun orbit.

Resarching consumes 5EC/s - check existing solar paneels, bring more if needed

Sending science consumes a lot - consider 5000 EC in batteries for a full lab

[bewing]

5 hours ago, Kchinger said:

Have you used the MPL without an attached probe or command module?

Yes, and it's true that there are things you can't do -- the game considers anything "without control" as being debris. You might not be able to transmit without a probe core. There is a chance that you can't process experiments without a probe core. However, any piece of debris that has any experiments in it at all will always have a "review data" button, unless there is a recent bug that I don't know about.

[Kchinger]

Well, I have a probe on the way with two docking ports and hopefully enough solar and batteries and capacitors. My solar is just the small first one that mounts flush, so I'm not sure it's enough, but we'll see. Also plenty of delta v to move it around, plus RCS for docking so that each ship doesn't have to bring its own if not necessary 

[Kchinger]

Once I docked a probe with it everything started working. 

I need more electric and better solar and a relay network at the Mun to really make it work, and I'm only getting like 5 science/day even when it's charged, but at least it's working. 

I need more data in it and better electric. The capacitors I didn't really understand, and don't have an action set up to discharge them into the batteries. I downloaded smart parts but not sure if I can fix an already launched thing, I'll have to see.