Surface sample collection part for probes

[sinful_ai]

Something like an arm or drill to collect surface samples for probes. Maybe it would need an extra science part to analyze the sample. Sorry if this has already been suggested.

[r4pt0r]

i have also suggested this. i would enjoy it very much still. radial attachment please

[Javster]

It would give Kerbals fewer things to do on EVA...

[sinful_ai]

It would give Kerbals fewer things to do on EVA...

True, but I was thinking it would be used mainly for unmaned spacecraft.

[r4pt0r]

perhaps it could be a separate "dust sample" and only kerbals bring back the big rocks as "surface samples"

all i know is i read an article calling an unmanned sample return mission from mars the "holy grail" of current space exploration goals, and i want to roleplay

[UbioZur]

True, but I was thinking it would be used mainly for unmaned spacecraft.

Which would make Kerbals useless except for planting flags. So unless there is futur plan for Kerbals to be really needed, I don't see it much for the stock game.

[Vindelle_Sunveam]

Javster's argument is interesting, Kerbals require more Dry mass to be sent into space, and we all know that every tenth of ton is a real struggle to put up there (at least for me, and this is why I enjoy probes and rovers so much besides the big "no kerb until a proof of concept probe does it" because I hate when they are standed).

So, ok, but I also think rovers should have something to do, like ground spectrography of a gound sample using a plasma torch to heat the ground, as does Curiosity with it's "death ray" . As we know, this tech is more likely to give us good results than samples brought back into our atmosphere.

So why not see what is possible once Reputation is included ?

Let's say that a spectrography brings no rep, as in nobody cares except the scientfic world, ans surface samples bring a whole lot of rep, but few science, as these are used for PR (museum exhibits and such). I won't bring any figures as I have no idea on how things are gonna be scaled.

PS : Nothing should prevent anybody from doing both in one go, not oblige them to.

[UbioZur]

So, ok, but I also think rovers should have something to do

Agree

So why not see what is possible once Reputation is included ?

Let's say that a spectrography brings no rep, as in nobody cares except the scientfic world, ans surface samples bring a whole lot of rep, but few science, as these are used for PR (museum exhibits and such). I won't bring any figures as I have no idea on how things are gonna be scaled.

Quite like that idea!

[sinful_ai]

So, ok, but I also think rovers should have something to do, like ground spectrography of a gound sample using a plasma torch to heat the ground, as does Curiosity with it's "death ray" . As we know, this tech is more likely to give us good results than samples brought back into our atmosphere.

This is a good idea. Javster is right, but I still think that there should be some kind of surface collection for probes. Perhaps a "dust sample" like r4pt0r suggested, or maybe a surface analysis, kind of like a photo or a scan of the surface.

[Tex_NL]

I could say this has been suggested many times before. I also could say there already are mods for this. I could even post a link to those mods. But I am not going to. Do your own homework!

[sinful_ai]

I found a mod that adds a shovel contraption into the game. The page for the mod is here. Similar to what I was thinking, but thescience values are way to high.

[Kegereneku]

I agree with Vindelle_Sunveam.

Even if KSP is a video game I consider it would be frustrating to not let the player go "all probes" (even if probes can only "store" sample), especially since there a balancing mechanism coming.

Which one ? As told : Reputation.

It's been said somewhere by the dev that you could trade between money/reputation/science. Since it's highly probable that probes give you little to no Reputation against a manned flight, it would require the player to play with less money/support but allow him to play really how he want.

Now I think we could add another counterbalance by requiring a non-line-of-sight deployed transmitter on probes if we want them working.

I for one would gladly like needing to make sure my probes get enough energy to power their antenna even at night.

(going further out of topic, with relay you could have the high-energy satellite with big antenna and solar-panel act as a relay for the rover with a smaller antenna, frankly I think I should make a topic out of that)

[Sky_walker]

Which would make Kerbals useless except for planting flags. So unless there is futur plan for Kerbals to be really needed, I don't see it much for the stock game.

Silly argument.

There are still EVA reports and Crew Reports. Both of which give manned-missions a huge overhead over unmanned.

perhaps it could be a separate "dust sample" and only kerbals bring back the big rocks as "surface samples"

Sounds great. It'd encourage people to combine manned and unmanned missions, perhaps even do what we are in a real life - first send unmanned probes and then send crewed spaceships (though I guess it'll end with people simply sending one ship that "has it all" >_>) - at the very least though: It'll make probes not as borderline useless as they are now.

[JimmyAgent007]

What if the probe could collect the sample but it only returns the transmission level of science. So you need manned to get the rest of it. Even if you return the sample. So the probe would transmit the science at 100% of the transmission amount.