Science Recovery Vs Science Transmission

[adinfinitum]

If you transmitted a probe's goo/sci jr data, you cannot come back later via EVA to collect from that same goo/sci jr module. You would have to clean it or bring another.

That's pretty much exactly what I was wondering about. So far almost all of my missions have been return missions, so I wasn't sure on that point. I always figured that the difference between science transmitted and science received for return was because a module couldn't have all the tools to properly analyze the data, while a lab on Kerbin can completely analyze it. It'd make sense, realistically, and I think from a gameplay perspective too, if we were able to return later and collect the experiment for return to Kerbin so that it can be analyzed for the leftover science that wasn't transmitted. But, since it looks like that's not the case, I guess I'll stick to sending return missions for science.

Thank you for the helpful answer, it definitely saved me a lot of possible frustration in the future!

Edited March 7, 2014 by adinfinitum
misspelled my quote tag