Capsule data storage limitations?

[Shiv]

Is there some limit to how much data can be stored in the command capsules? I landed on Minmus today and was pretty happy about it. Had a lot more fuel left over than I thought I would so I puttered around a bit collecting lots of EVAs, temps, seismic readings, etc. Had a boatload of science reports stored in the capsule and then I went to store some more and suddenly they were all gone. All of it. I re-took what I could but didn't have enough fuel to gather what I had before. When I returned home, I had even less science reports than I left with. I assume that part is a bug (hell the whole thing could be a bug) but it's a bit frustrating to return from Minmus and only have 70 science to show for it (when I collected well over 500 I'd reckon). Wanting to make sure this doesn't happen again the second go around.

[RenevB]

(Shouldn't this be in the gameplay questions subforum?)

There's no limit to the actual number, but you can't store duplicates. Crew report is an exception, there can never be more than one crew report in a capsule. But are you sure you didn't accidentally transmit all your precious data?

[Russoft]

Either you encountered a bug (which I haven't seen yet), or you mismanaged your science reports. I've accidentally discarded data rather than keeping it before. It's also possible you transmitted it or removed it from the command pod. Did you use a separate lander? I've left all my science in landers before and returned to Kerbin empty handed.

But yes, command pods only store one copy of each science report at a time, from what I understand.

[Shiv]

Ah didn't see a gameplay questions forum, my bad.

Yah I'm aware it can only store one copy of each science report but it seems it can store one of each unique one (like a surface sample from both the Minmus highlands and midlands). Just for some reason it completely wiped all the data I'd collected. Oh well, here's to hoping it doesn't do it again.

[Caelib]

there can never be more than one crew report in a capsule

If you EVA, remove all data from the command module and then re-store it, you can do multiple crew reports per mission (not on the same biome, obviously). Repeat this process after every crew report.

To the original poster, I've done Minmus missions this way and received over 2500 science in one trip!

[Shiv]

Yah I'm pretty sure it's one of my mods that's screwing it up. No idea which one would do it though but that seems the most reasonable explanation. It happens consistently. Luckily my bane is also my salvation in that another mod (or maybe the same one, I don't know) has an experiment storage cache that you can put on the ship, so I just put everything in there instead.

[Kerba Fett]

The first thing you should have done was to transmit all of your EVA and crew reports. If you can handle the power drain you get science instantly and if the ship doesn't make it back you lose less.

Also, transmit your surface samples then go back outside and get another one to return. You gain about 12 points compared to just returning one sample.

Quick saving after each landing is a good idea in case you later run into a problem.

For your next trip try to land near the edge of one of the flats. You should be able to use your EVA pack to jet over to the next biome for another EVA report and surface sample. Most of the flats are surrounded by slopes and midlands and most of the flats are separate biomes. (great flats,greater flats, flats, lesser flats and one other flat that I don't recall right now)

[Shiv]

The first thing you should have done was to transmit all of your EVA and crew reports. If you can handle the power drain you get science instantly and if the ship doesn't make it back you lose less.

Well I didn't have a satellite in orbit of Minmus at that time and Kerbin mission control was facing away from me AND my 'geosynchronous' satellites had fallen out of their orbit (well, one of them did, another one is in the process of decaying. I'll have to replace both). Basically it was a perfect storm of 'you're not getting any science on this trip'.