That science lab module

[SpaceToast]

I just don't get the gameflow with the lab. It doesn't actually do much, other than allowing a reset of the goo and materials lab containers, and 15% modifier to the transmit value. Given the weight of the the thing, why not just take two goo and materials containers with you and back? How is this an improvement? I *want* it to be a valued addition to the game, believe me. I like the idea of a reason ingame for rovers and spacelab/stations (beyond fuel). I must just not get what the actual intent behind the thing is, beyond preventing retransmit spam.

[yaur]

I'm not sure how I feel about the implementation just yet. On the one hand I'm really excited about space stations and bases "having a point" on the other I have just gotten to the point in career (reset for .23) where I have unlocked it. Science in orbit around kerbin and the mun are mostly taped out and I'm at the point where I'm ready to put kerbals on the mun and minmus with the science lab unlocked. This is basically the point where I would expect to be putting a lab in munar orbit or a base on the ground. The problem... no docking ports or rover parts unlocked yet so neither one is a viable option, which means I will continue to run standard missions where I land and return.

By the time I do have those parts unlocked I expect I'll be off to duna, etc where there aren't biomes yet. Also adding more physical experiments and reducing the utility of the digital experiments might be warranted.

To reiterate, I like the concept but think there need to be some tech tree tweaks to make it really shine.

[illusori]

I just don't get the gameflow with the lab. It doesn't actually do much, other than allowing a reset of the goo and materials lab containers, and 15% modifier to the transmit value. Given the weight of the the thing, why not just take two goo and materials containers with you and back? How is this an improvement? I *want* it to be a valued addition to the game, believe me. I like the idea of a reason ingame for rovers and spacelab/stations (beyond fuel). I must just not get what the actual intent behind the thing is, beyond preventing retransmit spam.

If you're going to send one lab per biome, then yes, there's not much point in it.

If you send a lab plus a lander to an environment with many biomes within easy reach, you don't just save yourself from sending two single-use experiments (for a net gain of one), you save yourself from sending two single-use experiments FOR EVERY BIOME (for a net gain of (2 * number of biomes) - 1).

As more biomes get added to more bodies, this will become more and more useful.

[willow]

Thanks Harvester for the info.

If you send a lab plus a lander to an environment with many biomes within easy reach, you don't just save yourself from sending two single-use experiments (for a net gain of one), you save yourself from sending two single-use experiments FOR EVERY BIOME (for a net gain of (2 * number of biomes) - 1).

As more biomes get added to more bodies, this will become more and more useful.

That's what I understand from Harvester's answer too. And that makes the lab a usefull appollo style mothership. For example in the jool system you could visit various worlds with the lab and use a lander to harvest science. Then you could reset the science experiments via the lab and reuse the lander on another body. If you combine the lab with a few large fuel tanks you could also refuel the lander.

Then when all is done you jettison the lander and empty tanks and head back home with the complete laboratory. Around kerbin you send up a taxi that docks with the lab and retrieves all the science to return it back to kerbin.

[El wonso]

I think Lab should be much heavier than it is now, 5 to 6 tons would be cool imo.

[CoriW]

I think Lab should be much heavier than it is now, 5 to 6 tons would be cool imo.

I completely agree with this.

[Beachernaut]

So, I haven't studied the lab much. However, from this thread I understand that I can use the lab to store experiments, then return it to Kerbin to get full points? Just as if I returned my lander with full material bay and goo container?

If so, that's awesome.

Edited December 18, 2013 by Beachernaut

[MalfunctionM1Ke]

I completely agree with this.

The Mass should increase by the number of experiments stored.

Surface Samples for example. If you overload the lab, you cant land it anymore without crashing it.

[merendel]

I've not found it all that useful for the transmission aspect. That 40% cap really cripples transmission to the point where most of my ships dont bother with antennas now. However I have found a use for it when dealing with mun/minmus. I basicly put a lab and a pile of fuel tanks in orbit around the moons. I docked a bunch of drop pods to this arangement. Each pod is little more than a small fuel tank and engien, a command pod and chutes, and a probe core with a solar pannle on it.

The main lander goes down, gatheres science and returns to the lab. Kerbal moves all reports over to an empty drop pod. lab resets aplicable experiments. Drop pod is launched back to kerbin while the lander refules and drops down into another biome. Alternitively I can cart all the pods home at once when I'm done with the main mission and skip the fuel tanks drone cores and engiens.

[Eric S]

So, I haven't studied the lab much. However, from this thread I understand that I can use the lab to store experiments, then return it to Kerbin to get full points? Just as if I returned my lander with full material bay and goo container?

If so, that's awesome.

The process you describe doesn't require a lab though. An EVA'ed kerbal can remove the science from all the stock science parts (I've got a few mods with parts that this doesn't work for) and place the results in a capsule, no lab involved. A wonderful process if you're playing career mode with Deadly Reentry, it's nice to be able to return just the capsule.

[MalfunctionM1Ke]

Am I wrong or can you process the Science in the Lab and transfer it than back to your Lander with a Kerbal? (Take Study, Store Study while Eva)

[Whackjob]

I think the science module would make for an awesome foot for some custom landing gear.

[Lazro]

I love how they added references to the ISS and Mir: Along the bottom rim it lists their names and along the top rim it gives the ID for Mir. Neat!

[ArmchairGravy]

I have mixed feelings about the lab after having used it around Mun and Minmus.

I created a 1-man craft that had two of all science experiments. This craft was capable of hitting two biomes, and then coming back to Kerbin. I'd store everything in the command pod, and just bring that home. Good for getting a grand of science per launch.

After a few trips I had enough parts to put the science labs in orbit, and then removed the parachutes from the lander and added a docking port. Then I'd hit two biomes, store the results in the lab, and reset the experiments. This entailed rendezvous, docking, and EVA work. I then used a 3-man command pod for crew rotation and to bring the results back to Kerbin. Another rendezvous and dock as I also used it to top off the tanks on the station to keep the lander going.

Here's the thing: I could have kept using the direct-return craft, and saved myself time and effort by not using the lab at all. It's far easier and quicker to just blast for home and re-launch.

Maybe when economy gets implemented using the lab will make sense. Currently there's no reason to use it unless you enjoy those extra challenges. I did! It's been forever since I exercised those hard-won docking skills, and putting about on EVA collecting all of the data from the experiments and instruments made me feel like a real kerbinaut. So, yeah, I can see using them and not using them.

Edited December 22, 2013 by ArmchairGravy

[TimMartland]

It weighs comparatively little. The Station Science labs (A really cool mod) are about the same size an weigh in at 20 tonnes. I'm kinda proud my mid-tree medium size lifter put it into a stabe orbit (albeit at only 80k when I was aiming for 250k).

Also;

Armchairgravy, the lab isn't so great in the Kerbin SOI. It's in far-flung locations it really comes into its own, especially if you put a small station in Jool orbit and run landers about to and from it, as it is massivley more achievable than sending 4-5 rockets off with seperate landers and returning all of them.

Edited December 22, 2013 by TimMartland

[Jouni]

The lab seems to be a bit underpowered, but I think the main problem is that it's just way too easy to return the experiments to Kerbin. Maybe it would be more useful if you couldn't move the experiments away from the goo container and the material bay (they seem to be quite big, after all), but you had to return the original modules to Kerbin for full science points. And as the modules seem quite exposed, you would need some heavy shielding for them to survive the reentry.