Storing data in unmanned crafts?

[daniu]

Am I doing something wrong or is it not possible to take data from an experiment and store it in an unmanned pod (OKTO or something) as is possible in manned command capsules?

It's kind of annoying because I wanted to avoid my Mun lander having to go back to Kerbin after each landing and send the results back in minimal probes instead.

Side question, is the Clamp-a-tron Jr compatible with the normal Clamp-a-tron, so can they be docked together?

Edited April 7, 2014 by daniu

[KerbMav]

Probe cores would not be able to store all experiments, as you are also returning the Goo and surface samples which are physical objects and not just data.

You could edit the cores though and add the storage module in the part.cfg, which would be a bit unrealistic, as the Kerbals would stuff moon rocks between computer equipment.

Just use this science container for example.

Docking ports only dock to ports of the same size - there are universal docking ports available as mods though.

[daniu]

Probe cores would not be able to store all experiments, as you are also returning the Goo and surface samples which are physical objects and not just data.

That's not correct.

I can take the data, then clean the experiment, which would remove the physical object.

Or I can dock two manned crafts, take the Goo data from one and move it to the command module of the other which does not have a Goo container, then have that return and get full retrieval science.

Just use this science container for example.

Ooohh, thanks, I'll use that

Trying to stay away from part mods as much as possible, but this really saves my lander concept.

Can it store more than one experiment?

Docking ports only dock to ports of the same size - there are universal docking ports available as mods though.

Thanks, that'll save me time not having to try it out

[KerbMav]

That's not correct.

I can take the data, then clean the experiment, which would remove the physical object.

Or I can dock two manned crafts, take the Goo data from one and move it to the command module of the other which does not have a Goo container, then have that return and get full retrieval science.

Gnah ... not really ... you have to think more "in story" and less "in game".

You are taking out the Goo to return it to the lab at KSC for in depth analysis. Therefore the science system is designed to reward return missions, to such an extend that you will not get all available science from a specific experiment if you simply transmit your observations on location, so the return mission means you return a sample of the Goo after it has been exposed to a specific environment.

"Cleaning out" would mean to resupply the container with a new Goo sample for another experiment.

The reason you can store the experiment's result in a crew pod is, that there is storage space for the moon rocks, exposed Goo etc.

Ooohh, thanks, I'll use that

Trying to stay away from part mods as much as possible, but this really saves my lander concept.

Can it store more than one experiment?

It can store as much experiments as any crew pod, the modder made a part and added the module used to make crew pods able to store experiments.

There is supposedly no limit.

[magnemoe]

Gnah ... not really ... you have to think more "in story" and less "in game".

You are taking out the Goo to return it to the lab at KSC for in depth analysis. Therefore the science system is designed to reward return missions, to such an extend that you will not get all available science from a specific experiment if you simply transmit your observations on location, so the return mission means you return a sample of the Goo after it has been exposed to a specific environment.

"Cleaning out" would mean to resupply the container with a new Goo sample for another experiment.

The reason you can store the experiment's result in a crew pod is, that there is storage space for the moon rocks, exposed Goo etc.

It can store as much experiments as any crew pod, the modder made a part and added the module used to make crew pods able to store experiments.

There is supposedly no limit.

Any command module or even the hitchhiker container can keep unlimited data, the main benefit of the container is that its light, two of them let you keep two versions of an surface sample or gravity reading. It will also let you keep the command module clean so you can transmit eva reports and other without having to deal with stored data.

Very nice for small landers and rovers.

One tricks I use is to have fuel+ material lab + goo drop tanks, this let you jump around and drop the tanks then used, another option is an dockable module