How do I recover a stranded vessel?

[trexwyoming379]

I recently started my first KSP game on science mode. So far I have been to the Mun and Minmus. I recently attempted a mission to Minmus with a detachable lander but I forgot to add a docking port to the lander so I couldn't re-dock it.  I was able to get Jebediah back into the re-entry module with EVA RCS, but the lander is stuck in orbit around Minmus with no monopropellant or fuel/oxidizer. How can I get the science points out of the lander and de-orbit it.

[Tecorian]

Well, in this special case maybe a cheat will help you.

Go ingame into the menue.

Way below you can switch to settings and there are cheatoptions.

Go to the setting "position" and choose kerbin and a very low altitude - maybe 5 m or so.

The programm will tell you, if you are too low.

Your spacecraft will appear just above the ground or water and you can recover it and gain the science points.

 

Whenn you have no docking possibility, even a big rescue action with a spacecraft, which has a cargo bay to recover the vessel will fail.

With noch connecting possibility, normally your rescue vehicle will loose the recovered vessel.

 

maybe someone else has a better idea... ?

[DennisB]

Without docking port, you can get the science with a kerbal. If you go on EVA close to the part, which holds the science report (command pod, probe core or science container), open the menu of that part, and there is an option to grab the science. Deorbiting the lander without fuel could be complicated. You can push it with a kerbal on EVA, but the better way is, to bring up a docking port or a grabber, and deorbit it with another vessel.

[Vanamonde]

If you have researched the Claw part you can also go grab the capsule, which then becomes part of the combined ship and fly it back that way, or just transfer the science to a storage part on the retrieval ship and discard the capsule. 

Or, you could just leave that capsule and fly the mission again with an updated design with a docking port.