Science Lab Module - Why Use It?

[Sabreur]

First up, I love the looks of the new science lab module, and I really like the concept of doing critical science on-site when a return isn't practical. But I'm having trouble figuring out where this thing would actually be useful.

For starters, the mass is pretty significant, even if you plan on leaving the lab behind on whatever world you visit - especially if you want to land somewhere without a convenient atmosphere to slow you down. Second, the science gains seem to be pretty minimal - usually around 10-20% improvements, compared to the 90% you get for just bringing back the (extremely lightweight) experiments themselves.

The only place I can see where it would make sense would be for a manned Eve mission - the thick atmosphere would let you parachute it down with ease, and given the extreme delta-V requirements to get back into orbit, even the small added mass of the science experiments might be prohibitive. Alternatively, I could see it being useful in a case where you don't plan to return at all, but that requires abandoning two kerbals and I just can't bring myself to do that.

Do you use the science lab? If so, where and why?

Edit:

To summarize the helpful answers below for those of you with the same question, the big reason to use the lab is because you can move experiment data into the lab and store it, then reset the experiment and use it again. Rinse and repeat until it's time to go home, then collect the full recovery science value on all the data you recovered. This lets you do things like have a tiny efficient lander collecting science from every biome and anomaly while bringing it back to a big return vehicle between trips. I was under the misconception that the lab only boosted the transmission value of the data and didn't realize experiments could be moved around and stored in the lab itself.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Sabreur
Question answered in thread

[Richy teh space man]

I use it to reset experiments, after I've moved the data from them into a ship returning to Kerbin.

[Taki117]

I use it primarily as living quarters, but also to reset the experiments on my lander.

[G'th]

Yes, the general point of the Lab is to minimize the cost of fully exploring a body.

Instead of a dozen launches carrying tons of redundant equipment, you can do one or two launches (Depending on your construction methods) and fully explore a body in the same mission.

They are also useful for maintenance runs on deep space science probes. You'd rendezvous then your probe would be able to go off and do more science while you carry the full science value back to Kerbin.

Generally I wouldn't want to land it anywhere. Its clearly something meant for orbit.

[Panzerbeard]

The most obvious use is for extraterrestrial stations. Let's say you want to land on every biome on the Mun, as I'm doing right now. That's a minimum of 15 landings, more if you then decide to go to the various anomalies. Now, we can only perform the main experiments once per mission, before the module becomes inoperable; that means you'd have to launch your entire rocket into LKO, insert into a Munar orbit (and sit through the long journey there), land on your chosen biome, launch back into a Munar orbit, and return to Kerbin. That's not only wasteful and time consuming, it's also somewhat tedious, in my opinion.

The science lab gives us an alternative to that. You set up a station in low Munar orbit, with a science lab, spare fuel and monopropellant, and lots of snacks. Then all you have to do is undock your Lander Module, land on the surface and get your science, then rendezvous with the station. You can then store all your experiments on the station and refresh the science modules, refuel, and then repeat the process as many times as you please. Once you're ready to cash all that science in, you just use a light return vehicle to get yourself, and the experiment data, back to Kerbin. That'll give you a massive amount of science, since you're returning 100% of data. It's more efficient than doing 15+ individual launches, it's arguably quicker, and, as far as I'm concerned, much more fun. It's also a great way to practice rendezvous and docking.

All stock apart from Kerbal Engineer, and doesn't need a whole lot of advanced parts, so you can set it up fairly early on. If you're using Kethane this'll become doubly useful, I expect, since you won't even need to send resupply tankers from Kerbin when the fuel runs low.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Panzerbeard

[Sabreur]

You can then store all your experiments on the station

Okay, this explains a LOT! I didn't realize you could move experiment data from the data collection modules to the lab module itself - I was under the mistaken impression that the data was always stored inside the data collection modules until recovery or transmission. That makes the 'reset' functionality make a lot more sense. Thanks for the explanation!

Just in time, too - I just finished hopping all over Minimus with a big stack of science modules and was about to try the same thing on the Mun. Making a tiny 'land and return' setup with a big orbital fuel station + lab will be much easier!

[Panzerbeard]

Okay, this explains a LOT! I didn't realize you could move experiment data from the data collection modules to the lab module itself - I was under the mistaken impression that the data was always stored inside the data collection modules until recovery or transmission. That makes the 'reset' functionality make a lot more sense. Thanks for the explanation!

Just in time, too - I just finished hopping all over Minimus with a big stack of science modules and was about to try the same thing on the Mun. Making a tiny 'land and return' setup with a big orbital fuel station + lab will be much easier!

Heh, no problem, I wasn't really aware of it at first until I found it by accident a while back. You just right click on the experiment module while in EVA and you have the option of collecting the data, you can then carry it around and stick it in a capsule; it'll work for surface samples, EVA reports, etc too.

[boomerdog2000]

I recently built a Mun base near the Farside Crater I believe, close to 4 biomes with 2 more still within driving distance. The base came with a science rover that can dock back onto it. The idea being the rover does science, redocks, the lab cleans the experiments then I send a ship to pick up 4 biomes worth of science in 1 go. Worked quite nicely so far, except for that one speed-bump incident. Turns out 45 mph in low gravity isn't a very good idea.

[Superfluous J]

Maybe on Duna or Laythe docking and storing is easier, but surely from Mun or Minmus it's easier to return the probe to Kerbin (burn to get a periapsis, then make sure you ride the craft through the atmosphere either by doing it or setting up an Kerbal Alarm Clock periapsis alarm) than it is to match orbits, rendezvous, approach, dock, and then play watch-the-percentile-counter?

Personally I'd rather land 15 probes than do 15 dockings, unless I was trying to learn docking

However, the first time I used the science lab I was tricked by how the game told me I had to transmit the data, into thinking I had to transmit the data. Knowing I can store it for later and then reuse the same science jr or goo container makes the lab a bit better of a proposition. I had ruled it out in all cases. Now I'm considering giving it another try.

[Panzerbeard]

Maybe on Duna or Laythe docking and storing is easier, but surely from Mun or Minmus it's easier to return the probe to Kerbin (burn to get a periapsis, then make sure you ride the craft through the atmosphere either by doing it or setting up an Kerbal Alarm Clock periapsis alarm) than it is to match orbits, rendezvous, approach, dock, and then play watch-the-percentile-counter?

Personally I'd rather land 15 probes than do 15 dockings, unless I was trying to learn docking

However, the first time I used the science lab I was tricked by how the game told me I had to transmit the data, into thinking I had to transmit the data. Knowing I can store it for later and then reuse the same science jr or goo container makes the lab a bit better of a proposition. I had ruled it out in all cases. Now I'm considering giving it another try.

For probes, possibly, but for manned landings I'd argue that the orbital-lab & reusable lander method is better. It saves so much time being able to just hop down to the surface and back, you can get away with heavier landers, since you only need a tiny amount of dV to get back to your station, and you're not wasting massive amounts of fuel and money punching through Kerbin's atmosphere and making that 12,000 km journey. (hypothetically speaking, of course. I know all that fuel and lifting costs us nothing right now). Then there's also the coolness factor of it; most of us have done your regular moon landing and returns countless times already. An apollo-style mission is a tad more interesting, but to me, having a permanent research station around the moon, with a reusable lander that I can use to make quick jaunts down to the surface whenever I want, feels much more satisfying.

As for the difficulty of docking every time, I disagree. The station is in a 10km orbit, so you're rarely any more than 7 or 8km below it along the equator. Matching orbits from that height is very quick and easy, you can more or less just wait until it's almost directly overheard and just burn straight towards it. The way I see it, after the first couple of times, I can land anywhere along the Munar equator, get my science, rendezvous and match orbits, get in close, dock, refuel and be ready for the next mission in less than 5 minutes, not counting the time sitting on the surface waiting for the station to come back around. That's quicker than launching a new vehicle into LKO, with less effort needed, as far as I'm concerned.

Still, it's largely down to personal preference, but I'd say that for extensive lunar exploration, orbital labs are the way to go.

[Burtsp]

Hey Sabreur not sure if you are 100% clear on this, if you are please disregard.

You can store all science in any command pod, not just the lab. Actually I have never tried to store experiments in the Lab because I never intend to recover the lab itself. As far as I know there is no limit to how many experiments you can store in a command pod but I personally have never exceeded 100.

As already stated, use the lab to reset your goo and material experiments. Store all your experiments in your intended return craft, rinse and repeat.