Look here! I found a use for the lab!

[KvickFlygarn87]

Since it is able to clean out experiments, you can have one on a refuel station in Minmus/Mun orbit. After that you use a lander to get down and take science from one biome, return to orbit, rendezvous with station, move data to the capsule, and clean out the experiments. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[WillHop]

This is exactly what I did with my Minmus mission, except I installed Kethane and ended up with a science lander with Kethane drills and converters that rendezvoused with the orbital science lab, transmitted the data back, cleaned out the experiments and looked for another biome.

[federicoaa]

I did this in minmus and mun, got tons of science!

[Travisfv]

Thanks for the idea! I was looking for a cool, fun mission idea that didn't require interplanetary travel. I just put a base on the Mun, and gathered a little science there. But now you've got me thinking.

One station in orbit that has a ship capable of returning to Kerbin with attached science module, a base on the surface for keeping the lander at with support crew, and a ship with a few thousand m/s delta-v for gathering data.

Overly complex? Mayhaps. Awesome? Most certainly.

[Snarfster]

Put a few fuel tanks on your orbiting station and you can refuel your lander too. With some patience you should be able to hit all the biomes with one lander

[hugix]

That is how I use it. Here is a picture of my station :

On the far left are the fuel tanks, next to that a Hab module and the science module.

On the side of the habitat is a docking port with the crew ferry. Each expedition consists of a crew of three that go down towards the surface in the re usable lander (on the right). Each kerbal makes one landing. Does the science, collects all reports. Stores them in the crew ferry. After all three kerbals landed they return towards Kerbin and the station awaits the new crew.

[Epthelyn]

I've been doing a similar thing to this around Duna; put a lab in orbit, get science from the atmosphere and ground, return, repeat if necessary. It worked up until the point where I ran out of fuel on the orbital craft and tried to do the ground-and-back trip with 70% fuel. I need to go and rescue those Kerbals and their science now...

While I send that out to Duna, I'll take this idea and finish off the Mun and Minmus; I guess I thought I would just do multiple trips to both of them or something

[blizzy78]

I'm currently launching modules for a mission to both Bop and Pol that will use the lab. In the end, only three Kerbals and a lot of science will return, with the rest of the hardware becoming debris. Or I will try to deorbit it into Jool if fuel reserves permit.

[kinnison]

Yep, this is pretty much what i do now.

I have a station obriting mun and Minmus with fuel and a science lab. The Lander goes down, grabs up the science, and docks with the station. Do the detail work, transmitting, cleaning, and refueling, then drop down again.

soon I will have a kethane miner on the moons. Then a fuel truck to transfer the refined fuel to a "Hopper" that will bring fuel to the station.

[Liowen]

Wasn't that kind of the point of the lab anyways? I had thought of doing up a career mode and doing this, but due to moving right now I have not had time. Like I said though I thought that was what lab was built for, but most people were missing the point of it....I could be wrong though.

[Rickenbacker]

This is how i ended up using it as well. Got a cool 900+ science from one Minmus trip. Could have been more, but I ran out of patience before I ran out of fuel . The lander can be tiny, if you land in one biome at a time, just one capsule and two experiments, plus engines.

[Arran]

The Station itself

The Landing unit on the mun..

The Return of the lander Module after several succesfull science missions..

admittingly, this was one of my best returns on KSC

[KittyProgram]

I have not found a use for it. I would usually just send a escape pod to Kerbin for SCIENCE!

[TMS]

Why not bring the station along with you?

[Aragosnat]

Wasn't that kind of the point of the lab anyways? I had thought of doing up a career mode and doing this, but due to moving right now I have not had time. Like I said though I thought that was what lab was built for, but most people were missing the point of it....I could be wrong though.

Yeah it was. Problem is getting the docking ports is usually the problem. Then its the docking and making sure you have fuel next.

[match]

Once I got the Lab to Munar orbit and collected my data, I was planning on bringing home the whole thing for the full science. Instead I sent a resupply mission for fuel and cookies, then transferred the science data to the refueller to bring home. I was able to fit 24 experiments, or whatever they are called in the fuel ship's capsule. It was much simpler to bring it home than the whole science lab. Was a glorious day for the STEM Kerbals!!

[ThirdHorseman]

Include two command modules and you can double your experiments and increase the SCIENCE! :

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4000+ SCIENCE! from one mission to Minmus.

[Retread]

I hit all of Minmus' biomes this way - the return vehicle came home with 73 experiments and just about 4,600 science!

Lander approaching the station (fuel depot on left, return vehicle on right, lab in the middle).

Bill & Jeb at the Minmusian north pole.

Science!

[draeath]

http://bazinga.smugmug.com/photos/i-h5vq4jj/0/XL/i-h5vq4jj-XL.png

I've... never actually seen items "packed" under a module with an engine like that. I need to force myself to try that, that seems to be a very good way to do it!!

[I_Killed_Jeb]

I've... never actually seen items "packed" under a module with an engine like that. I need to force myself to try that, that seems to be a very good way to do it!!

it's pretty popular and has great aesthetic results

[draeath]

Are there parts (stock or otherwise) that give you a "ring" to stuff things inside, without having to have an engine in the center? Unsure what this would be called.

[katateochi]

As far as I can tell this is the labs primary function. I now only ever transmit crew reports, so increasing transmission value has no use for me and its other function of storing science can be done by any pod (except the lab can store duplicate data).

I took lab and a lander to Mun (and loads of spare fuel), rinsed Mun and then moved onto Minmus and did this rinse-repeat until I'd run out of fuel and had to return home. Came back with 145 experiments and 8600 points. yay science.

[Retread]

As far as I can tell this is the labs primary function. I now only ever transmit crew reports, so increasing transmission value has no use for me and its other function of storing science can be done by any pod (except the lab can store duplicate data).

I took lab and a lander to Mun (and loads of spare fuel), rinsed Mun and then moved onto Minmus and did this rinse-repeat until I'd run out of fuel and had to return home. Came back with 145 experiments and 8600 points. yay science.

Nice. Makes the reentry and landing a little pucker-worthy though, when you have that much hard earned science on board.

[Burtsp]

Yes, this is cool. I have been wanting to do an Apollo style mission. I have been designing my LEM and Cm, but now I will use the Lab and provide some real purpose for my mission. My favorite aspect of this game are the ideas and creativity of its community. I have learned so much reading this forum.

[Caelib]

Since it is able to clean out experiments, you can have one on a refuel station in Minmus/Mun orbit. After that you use a lander to get down and take science from one biome, return to orbit, rendezvous with station, move data to the capsule, and clean out the experiments. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Maybe I just read the dev blogs too much, but isn't that is the whole reason it was designed and implemented?