Any longitudinal science missions? Requiring length of stay in space?

[Oddible]

Just got the SC-9001 Science Jr. and I was wondering if there are any current mechanisms in the game play for multiple reports from a single mission - or anything which encourages multiple orbits or a certain length of stay in space. Or are all science returns based on one-time specific location grabs?

Edited October 17, 2013 by Oddible

[Godot]

You can well do multiple reports and experiments ...

every report/experiment after the first, that is done in the same situation, has diminishing returns ...

but it definizely generates > 0 science points (until you have done it a lot of times).

From my observations it seems like a follow up experiment generates roughly 25% of the science of the last experiment done in the same situation.

Unless you don´t get the whole number of science points for an experiment (for example because you transmitted the experimental data via antenna) ...

in this case the reduction of science points for follow-up experiments is greatly reduced.

As for length of stay in space ... nope, AFAIK there are no experiments/reports which are influenced by the length of stay in space.

As for multiple orbits ... well, to reach certain Biomes you will have to do other orbits than the equatorial (for example in order to reach the poles)

[KatzOhki]

You can get some additional results if you are orbiting above a unique biome. Also, multiple EVAs can be done.

[Oddible]

You can well do multiple reports and experiments ...

every report/experiment after the first, that is done in the same situation, has diminishing returns ...

but it definizely generates > 0 science points (until you have done it a lot of times).

Ahh of course. I assume you mean transmitting results then doing the experiment again - that didn't even occur to me because I always wanted maximize my results rate by recovering the vessel and since subsequent reports overwrite prior reports. I guess I wasn't maximizing at all! Since I could have been taking the partial results from transmitting then recovering a second result. So the question here is...

If I have an experiment that gets 12 science, and I transmit the results for 50% (6 science) then I do the experiment again (assuming that this would be for less science? maybe 4 science) and recover for the full 100%, I would end up with less total science for the trip (10 rather than the original 12). Right? So this would really only be a benefit if I don't plan on recovering. Or if I'm doing intermediate steps (like doing a crew report during liftoff, transmitting, doing another during 100km orbit, transmit, boost to Mun, crew report on orbit, transmit, LAND ON MUN, and save that crew report until recovery since it will be a biggie).

[Ciechosz]

I wonder if performing an experiment on a ship that is later destroyed and thus not able to transmit or take it back to Kerbin reduces your gain from future experiments.

[Oddible]

I wonder if performing an experiment on a ship that is later destroyed and thus not able to transmit or take it back to Kerbin reduces your gain from future experiments.

I think the gain is based on the return so if you didn't transmit or recover you'd get the same pool of science again - definitely something to check though!

[Ciechosz]

A quick test with discarding results suggests that you're right