How is a spacecraft categorized as "Reuseable"?

[Lone K.]

Does that mean that the spacecraft or module is safely landed onto anywhere on Kerbin or does it mean it must land at the KSC again and recovered there only?

EDIT: I guess there isn't really any need for anymore explanations now. Thank you all for answering!

Edited December 21, 2013 by Lone K.

[Murph]

KSP doesn't have any concept of reusability at present. If it's for a mod, probably best to ask in the mod's thread/forum.

[Hodo]

The term reusable in the sense that NASA and most space programs in the real world use it, is any craft or object that can be recovered and reused with minimal expense and effort.

So in the world of KSP, anything that lands back on Kerbin in one piece or intact is reusable.

[Kasuha]

Everybody has their own definition on what a reusable craft is, only for challenges the maintainer usually sets up some rules.

In general, the craft is usually consideded reusable if it does not lose any parts (no decouplers) and all that's needed to use it again is refuelling (no SRBs). Sometimes at least one docking port is required to allow the refuelling tanker to dock/undock with the craft. Some people even go through the trouble of actually designing such tankers and refuelling the craft on KSC runway this way instead of spawning a new one.

[Geschosskopf]

Does that mean that the spacecraft or module is safely landed onto anywhere on Kerbin or does it mean it must land at the KSC again and recovered there only?

To me, "reusable" means the design is worth using again without any changes, even if I get better technology later. It has nothing to do with whether any actual in-game instance of the design could ever fly again. IOW, as I use the term, Apollo was "reusable" because they launched many copies of the same design.

But that's just me. As others have said, "reusable" to everybody else means you can (at least in theory) use an in-game instance of the rocket for multiple trips.

[nethervvoid]

Sometimes at least one docking port is required to allow the refuelling tanker to dock/undock with the craft. Some people even go through the trouble of actually designing such tankers and refuelling the craft on KSC runway this way instead of spawning a new one.

Damn that's a cool idea. I'm going to try that once I unlock all the necessaries. lol

[Moar Boosters]

A RLV (reusable launch vehicle) is a pretty well defined concept IRL, there isn't really much room for interpretation.

Within the game I guess it's up to you though, and how you want to roleplay. You could only count stuff that you can get back to KSC yourself, or you could assume that Kerbals have similar recovery technology to us. They could piggyback a spaceplane using a 747, or recover large items from the sea, but would probably have trouble recovering a bunch of giant fuel tanks that were parachuted into a desert or onto the ice-cap.