Do probes actually "probe" anything?

[Rabid_Monkey]

Do probes actually have any functions or are they just there to provide control for your craft? Basically, I'm wondering why anyone would bother using a probe over a manned cm since a crew can eva, make reports, etc. It would be awesome if they provided some sort of benefit such as weather, comms, science points as they orbited new biomes, and stuff like that.

Edited November 19, 2013 by Rabid_Monkey
Question answered!

[Johnno]

They just provide unmanned control. There's heaps of reasons to use a probe instead of a manned module: mass constraints, dangerous situations, duration of mission, size. Those are just a few off the top of my head.

[TechnicalK3rbal]

Especially if you have one of the life support mods....

[Starwhip]

A neat idea would be to have a bunch of science equipment built right in... or at least the option to include such equipment.

[DrMonte]

A neat idea would be to have a bunch of science equipment built right in... or at least the option to include such equipment.

grab a hexcan and wrap it with all equipment you like.

[Rabid_Monkey]

Especially if you have one of the life support mods....

This brings up another question: do Kerbals have an unlimited supply of CO2 scrubbers aboard? They seem to have some sort of extra-dimensional EVA propellant storage facility.

[ddenis]

Are probes needed... who knows...

I've just sent a probe to Minmus with Kethane scanner, it will be the for whole its life. Do I need to put a kerbal there? Without any desire to return it home.

Or I have Remote Tech satellites around Kerbin, Mun and Minmus. Do I need to put kerbal into each of them?

Or I've been on Mun and Minmus, got samples... great! But I've opened a new science equipment... do I need to send mission with kerbal to Mun and bring him back or I can send a probe with antenna, get science, transmit it and then abandon the probe?

[Guest]

It depends on how hard they hit the surface.

[Hodo]

Probes are great for several reasons.

1- they weigh less than a manned pod.

2- they are expendable

3- they can look cool

4- If you use RemoteTech2, you need them.

5- Kethane you need them

6- ISA Mapping you need them.

[capi3101]

They're generally useful for situations where you don't want a manned pod. Off the top of my head, it's generally better to send an unmanned craft on your first trip to some place you haven't been before, particularly if you're trying not to kill anybody.

Another one (and this one is more useful) is debris cleanup - you put a probe core on the part of your booster that does your orbital insertion and a couple of small battery backs. Minimal RCS maybe. Once it's delivered the payload, you can take control of it, turn it retrograde and burn any remaining fuel in the tank to deorbit it (RCS can also be used for this purpose). Beats leaving a giant hunk of crap in orbit, that's for sure.

Last night I sent a probe to Jool (first Jool trip!). Brought along a goo canister; got a fair amount of science from the thing.

[Franklin]

I know the thread's already flagged as answered, but outside of mod requirements and the obvious mass constraints: backup control. I've once (okay, a lot of times) killed or lost a Kerbal on EVA and had I a backup probe on the ship I could've saved them, or at very least got all the expensive equipment back to Kerbin, or continued my experiments. Having your ship or rovers or whatever be able to fly itself is an asset when you kill your pilot(s).

And let me tell you, rovering around on a planet is a 50/50 deathwish pretty much all the time. There's a fine line between safe/slow and unsafe/fast that we all dance around.

[Franklin]

I also use tiny RCS 'bots' on my stations that couple/decouple all the parts of the station. I couldn't make them nearly as small as I do, or control them nearly as easily if I had to run a Kerbal over and man one every time I wanted to move something.

Although making them manned with an EAS-1 sounds pretty amusing and I may make some little RCS motorbikes for my station now...

Edited November 19, 2013 by Franklin

[capi3101]

Thought of another one - when you need something that is definitely pointed prograde. Case in point: the Scorpio capsule I'm using for the Constellation challenge has room for six Kerbals; it does this by mounting Mk1 Lander Cans on the sides of a Rockomax Adapter. This gives me room for six at a mass comparable to a Mk1-2 Command Pod, but the problem is that none of the cans are oriented in the same direction as the rest of the craft. So there's also a probe core, and it's from that point that I control the rocket.

[MedievalNerd]

A neat idea would be to have a bunch of science equipment built right in... or at least the option to include such equipment.

It's what I'm doing for my tech tree overhaul. Adding experiment to probes, with body specific experiments.

Have a look:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/58135-TechTree-0-22-Realistic-Progression-LITE-V0-17a-%28Pre-Release-via-TreeEdit%29

[Rabid_Monkey]

Thanks for all the great answers! Being very much a KSP noob, my original question was geared more toward their stock in-game functionality. If you're looking at things in a more realistic sense (and not completely disregarding the infinite supply of would-be Kerbonauts) then the idea of an unmanned craft makes perfect sense. From the purely functional standpoint, Franklin made an excellent point about backup control. I myself haven't done any missions advanced enough to have thought about that.

A neat idea would be to have a bunch of science equipment built right in... or at least the option to include such equipment.

This was my thought as well. It would be sweet if you could get the same science you would from a crew report over different areas, altitudes, etc.

[SRV Ron]

grab a hexcan and wrap it with all equipment you like.

Gives you lots of places to place instruments, solar panels, parachutes, etc... But, even the Stayputnik can also have lots of things placed on them. Either way, be sure to add an extra battery. Add a SAS ring if needed on the booster.

[Turvok]

I'm going to add that during career mode I got to a point (I thought) where Iccouldn't get any more science to get enough parts to do a manned mission outside of the mun or minmus. At that point I had no choice but to send probes to Duna and Eve to get enough science for the next sets of upgrades to be able to send a manned mission. (docking ports being one) Istill ddon't have access to a mainsail but I keep screwing up my Duna flight. But as soon as it's back I should be able to purchase the mainsail.

[capi3101]

I'm going to add that during career mode I got to a point (I thought) where Iccouldn't get any more science to get enough parts to do a manned mission outside of the mun or minmus. At that point I had no choice but to send probes to Duna and Eve to get enough science for the next sets of upgrades to be able to send a manned mission. (docking ports being one) Istill ddon't have access to a mainsail but I keep screwing up my Duna flight. But as soon as it's back I should be able to purchase the mainsail.

You should try a Skipper and four LV-T30s set radially. You can use Tail Connectors or even Modular Girder Segments; just set them flush against the sides of the tanks and slap the -30s on the bottom. Both of those parts have fuel crossfeed, so you won't need fuel lines, though you may have to turn on parts clipping in editors (ALT-F12 to bring up the debug menu) to get them to go on (the tops of the engines may overlap). Presto - an engine cluster with slightly more thrust and better Isp than a Mainsail, at the cost of a little more weight and a few more parts. It makes for a good workaround while you're saving up the Science you need for the Mainsail. No Skippers? Try 6 LV-T30s set radially (same method) with an LV-T45 in the center. Slightly less thrust than a Mainsail and at least three tonnes heavier, but better Isp and still a good workaround - and a possibility at a much lower tech level.

[SRV Ron]

grab a hexcan and wrap it with all equipment you like.

Simple Hex Can with thruster pack, solar panels, parachute recovery, battery pack, and the four recording instruments. Very light weight yet maneuverable. You can even land this on Mun, Minmus, or parachute it down to Eve and Duna.

[SRV Ron]

I'm going to add that during career mode I got to a point (I thought) where Iccouldn't get any more science to get enough parts to do a manned mission outside of the mun or minmus. At that point I had no choice but to send probes to Duna and Eve to get enough science for the next sets of upgrades to be able to send a manned mission. (docking ports being one) Istill ddon't have access to a mainsail but I keep screwing up my Duna flight. But as soon as it's back I should be able to purchase the mainsail.

This worked for me in Career Mode

[little square dot]

4- If you use RemoteTech2, you need them.

5- Kethane you need them

6- ISA Mapping you need them.

^^??

You can scan for kethane, map bodies, and use remotetech without probes.