What is the point of planetary bases

[HeadHunter67]

Yes, but technically you could build the apollo program, not launch it (or it could have exploded on the launchpad) and still all the derivative knowledge would be kept.

...except for whether any of it works, or how well it works... that sort of thing. Kidney dialysis is one of the more significant technological developments of the program, enabling people with an otherwise terminal disease to live longer, productive lives and perhaps live long enough for a transplant.

The space program continues to pay off in technological developments that eventually become things that impact and improve our every day lives.

[Elemental]

Well, it keeps you interested in the game because there are barley any features because it's in a Alpha state. Same with space stations and the such

I would disagree here. I (and others) use space stations as fuel depots which greatly assist in long range missions.

I also use my space station as a hub for constructing vessels in orbit like a space dock.

....planetary bases... yeah... not seeing the point yet beyond "because I can".

[annallia]

For myself its all part of what I can imagine until career mode comes along.

As an example I recently took one of my tow shuttles from my station for a little joy ride to Minmus. Landed the ship, wandered around for a bit and took back off headed for home. I ran out of fuel before I could get back to my station and found myself adrift in space. Fortunately I fell into orbit of Kerbin but I was still a ways out.

I could have just left my kerbalnaut out there drifting, I could have ended his flight in the tracking center and launched a new tow shuttle for my station. Instead I designed a new rocket to go up and and get him and bring him back to Kerbin.

It is what you make of it.

[espm400]

Personally, among other things (like just having fun), another purpose for building bases on other bodies is just practice. My bases tend to be separate specific modules connected connected via KAS, and in the past I've always had to land a transport crane-style rover to go pick up each module and bring it to a central location. Until last week, my closest landing to a specific target was about 1km (and at the time, that was lucky). However, with the base I'm currently working on I decided to learn how to do precision landings, and with a little practice, it actually came to me a lot easier than I expected.

The rover landed first, followed by the generator (@~350m distance), followed by the life support module. I came so close to the generator with the LSM (17.8m) that I nearly landed on the solar panels. There have been a couple more parts that I've landed since then, but they've been for the Kethane drilling rig and were intentionally landed ~3km away to reduce lag as the base increases size.

EDIT: My next challenges are to land on a docking port and to get my precision atmospheric landings down...

Edited July 24, 2013 by espm400

[glacierre]

I would disagree here. I (and others) use space stations as fuel depots which greatly assist in long range missions.

I also use my space station as a hub for constructing vessels in orbit like a space dock.

....planetary bases... yeah... not seeing the point yet beyond "because I can".

On the vanilla game, yeah, but some mods such as kethane provide a solid reason to have a land base.