Wait, if the old science instruments are now useful...

[Nemoricus]

The seismic meter only measures the ship's acceleration in space, but generates science points once landed, and the thermometer must be in "space near X" (low orbit) to generate science. The gravity meter, goo, and science bays generate points anywhere, though of course the amount varies. But the really limited one is the barometer, which still insists it is in space and will not generate science until you're down into the middle range on the HUD altimeter.

The gravity detector also won't work while flying in an atmosphere. And the atmosphere sensor naturally needs an atmosphere to work.

[kurja]

And the atmosphere sensor naturally needs an atmosphere to work.

Hmm but isn't it a barometer according to in-game text? Which is a pressure measuring device, which should work in vacuum - naturally resulting with a near zero reading. It seems a bit counter-intuitive to me that when a player reaches a new and unexplored world, the instrument can not be used to determine if it has an atmosphere.

[Jones-250]

You sure there not talking kelvin?

Negative Kelvin? I think not!

[Nemoricus]

Hmm but isn't it a barometer according to in-game text? Which is a pressure measuring device, which should work in vacuum - naturally resulting with a near zero reading. It seems a bit counter-intuitive to me that when a player reaches a new and unexplored world, the instrument can not be used to determine if it has an atmosphere.

There's another sensor in game called the atmospheric sensor. It's a repurposing of the old avionics package.