Scavenging, not just repairing parts

[Mischief]

Wouldn't it be cool if you could recycle the components you've left or recovered? Both to repair your own damaged ships or even just for money. Possibly, with a large/heavy/expensive/complex module (or collection of modules) effectively build or modify ships in the field?

Some examples -

Your ejected fuel tanks and components. You put parachutes on them capable of getting them to the surface after ejection and you can recover them (same as you recover all components on the planet) to recycle for a percentage of their value. This promotes reusable/recoverable rocket and lifter designs.

Solar panels get damaged or destroyed on entry or landing? No problem; EVA to a nearby probe or lander and remove the parts from it to take back and repair. Engine damaged? Components knocked loose? Scavenge parts to repair or rebuild a slightly less viable fun still functional ship! This could be a great addition to the proposed repair system - have it require components of some sort. Either token 'repair components' kept in a 'supply module' or scavenged from other locations, or even other equipment already on your ship! Think Apollo 13 CO2 scrubbers.

Mobile repair/construction facility. A good reason to build a base. Huge components requiring a lot of effort to deliver safely but when compiled make a facility that you can put parts 'in', then use something like the VAB to construct a vessel. This would allow you, for example, to send a number of probes to the Mun. When you get a base there with a mobile repair bay and a rover you can collect and return those probes and recycle their parts - either to be returned home (for money/recycling) or used to construct a rocket on site.

KSP has a rich set of components designed with tradeoffs instead of direct upgrade. With the existing proposed inclusion of an economic factor and a repair factor this would tie them together into another facet of the game that would reward long term planning and provide a strong incentive for building bases or facilities on other moons and worlds.

[Whirligig Girl]

I recall way back in an old Dev stream, Claira Lyrae made a toolbox, which was meant to allow a Kerbal to do these things.