How to get science?

[drew4452862]

So far I have been to the moon(which was a pain), around the sun and I can barely make it to dune. I'm not sure if I have missed and science out there but what can I do to get further in the campaign? I'm not sure if I can get to duna. I want mechjeb to work but it's built into the campaign...

idk just kind of getting tired of trying and failing. docking seems hopeless too. Anyway to cheat in mechjeb?

[Javin]

Start at home:

* Make a tiny ship. And by tiny, I mean nothing but the initial pod.

* Have your character step out of the ship (EVA) immediately, and then right-click him. Write a report, take a soil sample, and get back in the ship. Free science points.

* "Recover" the vessel.

Dump all of your science points into the science branch as much as possible. You'll eventually get things like the thermometer, barometer, a capsule of goo, a science lab, etc. After you get each of these, take them to each planet (including Kerbal's launch pad!) and right-click them and use them at each location.

You'll have the option of either transmitting the data home, or physically carrying it home. There's a finite amount of Science points you can get from any one method on any one planet. So if you transmit the data home, you'll have to make more trips, but if you carry it home, you can tap out all the points in fewer trips (3-4 instead of 10-15). There's also different "places" to take the data. Write a report and do your experiments in each orbit of the planets. Apparently there's also "near" orbits and "far" orbits for some, including the sun. Do the experiments on the planet's surface, and even at different locations on the surface (I've found at least two different points of interest on the Mun so far). Just keep doing the experiments everywhere you can think of, and then returning the data home.

If you eventually get to the point where you can haul a science vessel out, then things really get interesting. This vessel can be used to repeatedly transmit data back, then RESET the experiments to do it again! You can start moving the vessel around from planet to planet and grinding science with it. (I've yet to manage to land the thing, I don't have all the parts unlocked to handle its size yet).

Good luck!

[WhiteKnuckle]

Kerbin, Mun, and Minimus all have biomes (different types of terrain) and you can get science from each one.

So for example: When you go to Minimus, land on the flat frozen lake part, do all your science and fly home. Then launch another mission using the same rocket and land on the mountains of Minimus, do all your science and fly home.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

[drew4452862]

Thanks! I was unaware I could get science from points of interest. I'll try that out.

Not sure what you meant by a science vessel. I have the big Processing lab, might be able to get it up there.

[EtherDragon]

Yay! A chance to plug My YouTube Channel, Korbital Mechanics! Watch both seasons 0.22 (complete tech tree without Mods, or cheese) and 0.23 (in progress).

It it certainly easy to get enough science to progress through various stages of the tech tree with all the places and types of science that is out there to explore in KSP. But there are some tools (without mods) that will help you maximize the science you receive for any area. Here are some basic tips:

1. Repeat known successful missions with new science instruments! When you get a couple new science instruments, go repeat some previously successful missions with the new instruments. Often times, new instruments further up the tree get you a lot more science for the same mission. The new Science Archives allows you to easily see places where a couple experiments can still be done.

2. Do lots of the repeat experiments (when applicable) while orbiting over interesting places. For instance, EVA reports when over various places on Mun get you a bunch of science to bring home, without needing to land. Another example - land near the edge of a crater, take a surface sample in the crater, and another surface sample just outside the crater.

3. Transmit any science that gets you 100% transmission, then do the same experiment again to bring home. Crew Reports can be transmitted for 100% science return. Then you can immediately do another crew report (this time, keeping the results) for more science assuming you recover the pod after landing.

A lot of this is dependent on a solid fundamental grounding in Rocket Science, though. Designing ships capable of reaching interesting places, and returning samples safe and sound is where most of your trial, error, and frustration will (and should) be; not in figuring out how to fiddle a science tool.

Anyway, check out Korbital Mechanics Let's Plays for some inspiration. I don't use any mods, cheats, or try to cheese the research system - just pure going out, and exploring new places with new ships and experiments. Good luck!

Edited January 23, 2014 by EtherDragon