Whats the point of using the mobile processing lab?

[Ohls]

I know that you get some percentage more science of your transmissions to Kerbin. But I still don't see the point. I can't exit the lab with the kerbals(don't know if this is a bug, intended or if I'm just stupid), so the only option to leaving them stranded is the build a ship capable of returning. And since the science modules break after transmitting your science, this fully defeats the purpose of the lab. However, even if you can exit the lab you then need to send another ship to pick them up. While it might be easier to build a return capable ship without the science parts, it will not be that much easier considering you need to bring along empty capsules. Not to mention the time it takes to make the trip twice.

So, am I missing something? To me it just seems like the lab is more cumbersome than helpful.

[Grover]

use the lab as a station, dokc science craft to the station, use that to boost your transmissions AND reset the experiments, allowing you to do them again, then send your science craft off again on a merry hunt for lovely juicy science

seriously though, it can also reset experiments, so you can use each goo canister more than once

[Murph]

The lab lets you reset modules that are single-use. That's one of its major features. You should be able to EVA your lab staff by clicking on the lab door (but this may need the camera to be close enough to it, as hatches seem to be sensitive to camera distance (and position?)).

[Awaras]

And to get kerbals out, just LEFT click on the hatch where they enter and choose 'EVA' next to their name.

*edit* Ninja'd!

[Ohls]

Thanks for the answers. Did not realize you could reset experiments.

Don't know if some mod is making me not able to EVA, or if I was too zoomed out. I'll try again later tonight.

[ZeroG]

Thanks for the answers on how to get Kerbals out of the module - I was wondering how to do that as well! Left-clicking instead of right-clicking was the trick for me.

[stevism]

lab module is mostly useless.

considering how you can go and collect data while on an eva and then put it into your ship to take home...

i've been building single-man ships that have detachable one-use science segments (materials, goo, etc). i do the experiment, eva and collect, then get rid of it.

2 kerbals + size of lab + meager increase in science value = not worth it imho.

i was REALLY hoping that it was going to be more along the lines of say how a real space station works. where it you put it in orbit, then deliver like a "plant" test or a "animal" test, etc. and you could only do that test in a mobile lab. of course you could deliver these "tests" to different mobile labs and get new science results, since a "plant" test on Duna would be different than one on Laythe, etc.

idk...right now I think the only point of it is to slow down your progress and look cool. if you actually want to get the most science, it's more frustrating than anything.

[biohazard15]

The Mobile lab is useful as a "cleaning" part for Goo and Science Jr in a mobile lab rover for Kerbin\Mun\Minmus missions. Otherwise, it's useless for now.

[stevism]

yeah, but mobile lab rovers can't hit *that* many biomes, unless you land in a few sweet spots. i think it's more efficient to build a ship that can bunny-hop amongst biomes and then send a small apollo-style return vehicle, but that's just my play style.

agreed, it's useless for now. looking forward to where they take it though.

OP, the main point is to flesh out a badass space station

[Geschosskopf]

I think part of the uselessness of the mobile lab is due to a possible bug with capsules. Whenever I move goo and material data into a capsule, I get a message saying the capsule can't store those types of data. But despite this, the capsule does in fact hold them. So, I'm thinking only the mobile lab is supposed to be able to hold these data.

If this is indeed a bug, and if it gets fixed next time around, then things will change a lot. Then the lab's ability to reuse goo and materials would only really be useful if you returned the lab itself. In anticipation of this, I tried landing one. Besides the obvious need for parachutes, it also needs a probe core and electricity. The lab itself is not a command pod so even with Kerbals in and electricity, you can't control it without a probe core attached.

[Murph]

yeah, but mobile lab rovers can't hit *that* many biomes, unless you land in a few sweet spots. i think it's more efficient to build a ship that can bunny-hop amongst biomes and then send a small apollo-style return vehicle, but that's just my play style.

agreed, it's useless for now. looking forward to where they take it though.

OP, the main point is to flesh out a badass space station

Think bigger. Imagine biomes on one of the harder to reach celestials. Now send a science ship out there with lab, lander, and plenty of excess fuel. The lander can shuttle up and down grabbing science from the surface, delivering it to the lab, then transmitting it back to Kerbin. Sure, you can't do that in 0.23, not the long distance part (you can practice it on Mun & Minimus though), but that's clearly the sort of thing that is planned.

And, not completely useless for now, as it's fairly cheap, quick, and easy to do that on Mun & Minimus, so an alternative choice to returning to Kerbin after each biome.

[thereaverofdarkness]

One easy trick if transportation to the planet is your biggest issue is that you can transport a fuel-laden station to orbit around the planet much more easily than landing it. Then you can send a very small craft that is capable of landing and taking off again and docking with the station, but that can refuel at the station several times before draining the station.

[Joonatan1998]

The problem is that:

1. Lab needs kerbals to work

2. Most people try to bring their kerbals back home.

3. The command pod you are using to bring your kerbals home can carry the science too.

4. If you can get 100% when you bring the cerbals home, why would you transmit and get 50% now and bring the kerbals home later?

(Transmit science increase is useless)

5. Lab weights more than many materials bays or goo containers (Resetting not very usefull unless planet/moon has biomes)

[arq]

I put one of these in orbit around Mun with extra fuel and a lander. I hit all the biomes on Mun (15 or so) with my lander loaded with science experiments. I'd bring them up and unload them into the mothership, reset the experiments, refuel, and go back down for more. I got over 7000 science when I returned it (and maybe another 1000 I transmitted back earlier in the mission). It was just enough to finish the tech tree when I returned.

[Jobin]

Yeah I agree, the lab module is almost useless to me. The science gains ARE NOT worth it. I sent a bunch of probes to the moon and returned them before I even had the thing unlocked instead of transmitting the science back. Now, I could also try to get them into LMO and then redezvous with a lab and scrub the experiments, but the amount of effort that takes is just obscene in comparison to how much science you get for it. Overall I thought it sounded cool, but now I realize how impractical it actually is.

[Zwer.ch]

Question on the MPL's storage: can I transfer science experiements from i.e. a capsule to the MPL and return the MPL to Kerbin, instead returning the capsule?

From what I currently see I don't think that's possible, but maybe I'm overlooking something?

What storage capabilities for science experiments are there anyway? I only know of any capsule (limited storage?) and the experiments itself (storage capacity 1).

[Animal Mother]

The Mobile lab is useful as a "cleaning" part for Goo and Science Jr in a mobile lab rover for Kerbin\Mun\Minmus missions. Otherwise, it's useless for now.

For me though it seems that the first experiments gets the most research value; every subsequent experiments gives no value. By the time I get a Lab in orbit, it has no value as all science has been maxed out in prior missions.

[Z-Man]

Question on the MPL's storage: can I transfer science experiements from i.e. a capsule to the MPL and return the MPL to Kerbin, instead returning the capsule?

From what I currently see I don't think that's possible, but maybe I'm overlooking something?

It seems like the MPL does not store experiments. It processes them right where they are stored; after you refine a Goo, the refined Goo data still is stored in the canister.

What storage capabilities for science experiments are there anyway? I only know of any capsule (limited storage?) and the experiments itself (storage capacity 1).

Well, Kerbals on EVA, technically. I'd say it's useless, but I have been lurking long enough to know that tree posts down will be a screenshot of a lone Kerbal aearobreaking on his way home from Duna.

And yes, capsule storage is unlimited.

I am currently using the lab on a repeat landing mission to Minmus. Yeah, it probably is not weight optimal, but the ship was easier to build than one with enough spare experiments and it just feels better.

[-ELF-]

It probably worth mentioning, that not everybody use Biome maps to find sweet spots.

I personally have not tryed the 0.23 update now, but will try this week.

I am not going to land in more than 3-4 Biomes on Mun. It is just wasting of time when you keep landing on the same planet/moon. First tech to get is nuclear egines and docking ports.

Then I am going to build an interplanetary mothership with soome shuttles and send it to jool. Lab will be needed of course to reset experiments for each moon and jool itself. Probably kerbals will not return back with first mothersip. Then they will transmit data (transmit bonus from lab can be big in this case), I will upgrade the techtree, and build the recovery ship to bring them back.

Lab will be useful in this case. While you are working near Kerbin - Lab seems not so useful, consider interplanetary travels, that is where it kicks in. Imagine Eeloo with 10 different biomes. I do not think it will be easier to bring 10 goo cans and 10 material labs there, instead of bringing one pair and a lab to reset them.

Nuff said.

[ArmchairGravy]

I'm taking one to Duna with me to reset the experiments after hitting Ike. They only mass 3. Throw a 1-man lander can on top, dock a lander, come come with 4k.

[LameLefty]

I'm still convinced that the MPL is now just being "live tested" by all of us in 0.23 with thoughts toward future tweaks. Its REAL import will only become apparent in future versions with a functioning in-game economy. When each part has a measurable cost, and each mission will cost a sizable fraction of available funding for any specific period of time, people won't be able to afford to launch ten missions to the Mün to return experiments unless they want to spend probably at least MONTHS of in-game time for the money to do so.

Anyway, we'll see.

[thereaverofdarkness]

Dunno why I didn't think of that but you're probably right, LameLefty. Squad is doing a lot of work behind the scenes that we can't see. When they release something that seems a bit lame, it's probably just an early version.

I have faith that they will make it awesome, but I'll keep trying to help them tweak it, too! Thanks.

[JarvisXV]

What I find extremely useful with the MPL is it's ability to store, reset and transfer experiments. You can perform and store experiments in all the biomes of a planet or moon with just one MPL roving on the surface, then transfer those experiments into another MPL to return to Kerbin. It's the best way to get science with the fewest flights and instruments.

[Death Engineering]

I don't think they're useless at all. The ability to maximize transmission data is nice, but being able to reset science parts is they're greatest value. I sent this craft on a flyby mission to Duna, was lucky enough to get close enough to Ike for science, then swung it past Eve as well before landing. Got great 'near' and 'high above' science for both Eve and Duna.

edit: although was a little put-out that I could not get atmospheric data on neither Eve nor Duna. It seems the trajectory has to be sub-orbital before it allows that.

[BlackBicycle]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/63481-Runaway-rover-Science-Lab

Post #4

Just my 2 m/s