Big science lab.

[Scarredclown]

How to use the big science lab ? The one that hold a two kerbal crew ? Must i land it on a planet or can i use it in space ? I try to use it on the landing pad but nothing happened...

[robogungt8]

To use it, you have to first do science. Bring some goo and/or the materials bay. Make sure the lab has 2 crew (not the same as the pilot's of the craft) and then you should get the option to send the data to the lab when you perform the experiments. Hope this helps!

[asb3pe]

I'm finding it slightly ironic that the orbital mechanics part of the game are easier to learn and execute than the science part of the game is. Realize that I'm speaking as a total beginner, but it's my honest impression so far. We can go zipping to the farthest reaches of the Kerbol System within hours of play, but days later and we're still trying to figure out how/where/when/why to do crew reports and samples and EVAs and keep data and transmit data and use the mobile processing lab...

Someone on here posted this for me as a useful reference... http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Science

Mobile Processing Lab MPL-LG-2

The Mobile Processing Lab MPL-LG-2 improves the value of science data before transmitting it; it has no effect on data kept aboard. Crew Reports and EVA Reports have no penalty on transmitting them, so lab processing doesn't benefit these two. For others, it can squeeze out points from reports that at first have "+0.0 Science" value to transmit. It can also clean the Mystery Gooâ„¢ Containment Unit and SC-9001 Science Jr. to reuse them after transmitting or collecting data.

Both cleaning and processing required a certain amount of time and electric charge. Cleaning an experiment requires the same amount of energy as processing its report data.

The Mobile Processing Lab MPL-LG-2 can also store multiple copies of scientific data - even those from the same experiment in the same situation & biome. For example, a lander could conduct three material studies with separate SC-9001 Science Jr. units, rendezvous and dock with a ship containing a Mobile Processing Lab MPL-LG-2, then have a Kerbal on EVA "Take Data" from each SC-9001 Science Jr. and place it in the lab. This must be done once per piece of data, as a Kerbal can only store one type of unique data at a time. Most experiments can be 'maxed out' in a single trip by recovering three or four samples.

this section is also important

The blue bar indicating transmission value follows a similar pattern, but please notice how even the dark blue stops far short of the total amount. No matter how many transmissions you make, you won't receive more than 30% of the available points. Once you are above the 30% threshold (eg, because you already returned one container), further transmissions will be worthless. The Mobile Processing Lab MPL-LG-2 can boost that number a a little (more on that below), but the fact remains: transmissions alone will get you only so far.

So transmissions give 30% of the science points, but processing them in the Lab gives 50% upon transmission. But if you "Keep Data" and return it in the capsule or on the Kerbalnaut, you get 100%.

Remember I'm a noob trying to give advice so please correct me if wrong. I'm trying to figure this all out too.

Question: Do you have to transmit from the lab (for the 50% science) or can you store data there and then physically return the Mobile Lab to Kerbal for 100% science?

Edited June 9, 2014 by asb3pe

[Shiv]

Seems to me it's pretty worthless. I've not run into a moment yet where I think it's better to sacrifice 50% of my science value just to not go another 30km and land at Kerbin.

[Othuyeg]

A massive positive side to the lab that often isn't mentioned is that it can hold an endless number of experiments. You can move all of your science to the lab and land it on Kerbin. 100% return and only one mission.

Dock one to a mun or minmus station and send a lander down to the surface, move the science to the lab, clean experiments... return the lab once you have 100+ experiments in there and boom you have a massive amount of science.

[asb3pe]

A massive positive side to the lab that often isn't mentioned is that it can hold an endless number of experiments. You can move all of your science to the lab and land it on Kerbin. 100% return and only one mission.

Dock one to a mun or minmus station and send a lander down to the surface, move the science to the lab, clean experiments... return the lab once you have 100+ experiments in there and boom you have a massive amount of science.

Love the idea - I even just found it in the wiki, http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Mobile_Processing_Lab_MPL-LG-2

Docking Space-Lab

A lander performs all experiments as usual, but rather than returning home, it docks with a Laboratory in orbit; EVA over all experiments, take/collect data, board Laboratory The data is now safely stored in the Lab. You may clean out the experiments and re-use the same lander. Return the lab to Kerbin when done.

It's recommended to have ladders (at least) on the Materials Containers: the margin of error between "close enough to take the data" and "bouncing off" is rather small. It'd be nice if you could touch off all instruments while climbing a single ladder, though this would make for a tall assembly.

Lab Lander

Integrate the Lab in the Lander, do the data gathering and instrument cleaning on-site. No risk of poor kerbals drifting off into space. You may bring enough fuel in order to make several small hops and visit different biomes before you need to re-orbit and dock with a filling station. While convenient, such landers tend to be rather bulky and heavy, though.

As for the ladders, Scott Manley just used the jetpack during his Beginner Tutorial youtubes to get on top of the materials containers, no ladder needed. He even put his mystery goo on top of the containers, but he just jetpacks up there to collect the data to take it back to the capsule. I guess on some planets that won't work tho, he was on Minimus.

Edited June 9, 2014 by asb3pe

[iFlyAllTheTime]

Please disregard this.

Edited June 10, 2014 by iFlyAllTheTime

[Scarredclown]

I guess using the jetpack is not already an option for me....the two time i use it, i lost some good kerbals into space...lol