Career mode - do science modules need to be recovered to earn the points?

[Geoff-AU]

Something I just thought of last night.. if I have a science lab and a mystery goo container and "Keep" the experiment results in LKO.. do I need to land my craft with said modules intact in order to gain the points from the reports I'm keeping? Or can I jettison everything besides the command pod and as long as I land with the pod/kerbals alive I still get all the points?

Edited November 6, 2013 by Geoff-AU
question answered

[Taki117]

IF you have an antenna and sufficient power you can transmit the data back, but as long as you follow the pod down (Or keep it < 2.5km from the vessel you are controlling) if you recover the pod you will get the points.

[blizzy78]

Or can I jettison everything besides the command pod and as long as I land with the pod/kerbals alive I still get all the points?

No. Once an experiment crashes, its points are gone. You need to either transmit the data or recover the part after landing.

[Taki117]

No. Once an experiment crashes, its points are gone. You need to either transmit the data or recover the part after landing.

The good news though is that the points are not "lost" they just go back into the science point pool for the biome they came from so you can do the experiment there again and get all the points you lost because of the crash.

[Sirrobert]

The good news though is that the points are not "lost" they just go back into the science point pool for the biome they came from so you can do the experiment there again and get all the points you lost because of the crash.

That's not what he asked though.

YES, you need to recover the part that contains the science to get the points

[bludy]

i've had several science points when i recovered a mun lander's debris crashed on kerbin..am i missing something? they were points from a kerbin biome or my stored data from the mun? at the moment i'm thinking it said ''recover a vessel from the mun'', but i'm not sure..i think if you recover the debris with attached the experiment you gain points..

[Alistone]

That's not what he asked though.

YES, you need to recover the part that contains the science to get the points

I'm think you can recover the science part "debris" to get the science also... I thought I did this after some science canisters fell off the side of my rocket after splashdown. ...just have to look at your debris in the tracking station.

[SRV Ron]

Either with the command pod, or landed separately via parachutes, Science and Goo pods need to be recovered intact for their full science points to be added to your score. If they are destroyed upon landing, no points will be recovered.

Once you get solar panels, recovery will no longer be necessary such as in probes sent on one way landings.

[Sirrobert]

I'm think you can recover the science part "debris" to get the science also... I thought I did this after some science canisters fell off the side of my rocket after splashdown. ...just have to look at your debris in the tracking station.

Probably yes. You get points when you recover a part that's been to the Mun.

i've had several science points when i recovered a mun lander's debris crashed on kerbin..am i missing something? they were points from a kerbin biome or my stored data from the mun? at the moment i'm thinking it said ''recover a vessel from the mun'', but i'm not sure..i think if you recover the debris with attached the experiment you gain points..

Yes, I've done that to. As long as you recover the science part, you get the points. The rest is moot

[Geoff-AU]

No. Once an experiment crashes, its points are gone. You need to either transmit the data or recover the part after landing.

YES, you need to recover the part that contains the science to get the points

Either with the command pod, or landed separately via parachutes, Science and Goo pods need to be recovered intact for their full science points to be added to your score. If they are destroyed upon landing, no points will be recovered.

Thanks guys. Good tip about the separate parachutes, that would come in handy!

I think I unlocked solar panels last time I played so I can transmit the results several times to achieve the same end. Just realised that after landing one part with science payloads intact I got a LOT more points than previously, I guess I wasted several missions by jettisoning my parts and letting them crash

[SRV Ron]

Thanks guys. Good tip about the separate parachutes, that would come in handy!

I think I unlocked solar panels last time I played so I can transmit the results several times to achieve the same end. Just realised that after landing one part with science payloads intact I got a LOT more points than previously, I guess I wasted several missions by jettisoning my parts and letting them crash

If you bring down science modules on separate parachutes, be sure that they come down close to your capsule, under 2.5k, or you will lose them. They are then recovered separately from Mission Control. If you leave the science module under the capsule, add extra parachutes or do a water landing to keep it from being destroyed. Goo capsules on the crew capsule will be OK. Just don't block the hatch with one.