putting a station near every planet = profit?

[lammatt]

spam accept "science around _______" contracts

[7499275]

that might work, however, how are you going to get enough funds to put up a station around every planet to spam science?

[Pecan]

"It Depends" ©.

It depends on how much your station cost.

It depends on how much your station launch vehicle cost after any recovery.

It depends on how much your tractor to transport the station cost.

It depends on how much your tractor launch vehicle cost after any recovery.

Finally; it depends on how much you get paid for any particular station once it's in place and, since contracts for that sort of thing are procedurally-generated it's impossible to say "do this, it'll cost this, you'll get this."

[Tortoise]

Wouldn't it cost less to just put an unmanned probe there with science goo and instruments?

[Renegrade]

I have a tiny probe at each of Kerbin, the Mun, and Minmus for exactly this. They have solar panels, batteries, and a thermometer and antenna attached.

Pretty crazy income for rockets that were like 6-8k on the launchpad. Launch once, use forever!

[katateochi]

I think setting stations up around some planets to get easy science contracts will be quite a good idea in a role playing setup. It's a nice justification for having a manned station and it will earn some money.

But if you only care about the most efficient way of getting money then a probe that is so small it has won awards should do the job. All you need is a grav scanner, battery, solar panel and antenna on a probe core. It will be cheep to send one of those every planet and it can keep doing science contracts forever.

I'm wondering about sending "contract packs" to various planets. These will be unmanned modules that are basically a collection of the smaller parts that come up in contracts. I guess that's a bit like having stations in place prior to the contract, but should cost less to setup as they will be lighter.

[magnemoe]

that might work, however, how are you going to get enough funds to put up a station around every planet to spam science?

probe + solar panel + thermometer + antenna.

this is parasite cargo, you can add an and oscar to put it into orbit during a slow flyby or aerobreak.

[dryer_lint]

The contracts should request specific data instead of just "science" in general. For example, "Collect temperature data from around the Mun".

[No one]

You can also do something similar with the "plant flag" missions by just leaving a kerbal there and having them plant a flag every time you get the mission.

probe + solar panel + thermometer + antenna.

this is parasite cargo, you can add an and oscar to put it into orbit during a slow flyby or aerobreak.

If you haven't unlocked the thermometer yet you can also use a command pod with a kerbal in it.

[Solivagant]

You can also do something similar with the "plant flag" missions by just leaving a kerbal there and having them plant a flag every time you get the mission.

How? Each Kerbal has only one flag per mission, and you have to choose the flag for the entire mission in the VAB. To be able to do this, you'd have to launch one Kerbal for every company, and that's for one use only. Imagine having to launch like a dozen missions to Duna just for the contract money. It probably wouldn't be worth it in contract rewards.

[Solivagant]

You can also do something similar with the "plant flag" missions by just leaving a kerbal there and having them plant a flag every time you get the mission.

How? Each Kerbal has only one flag per mission, and you have to choose the flag for the entire mission in the VAB. To be able to do this, you'd have to launch one Kerbal for every company, and that's for one use only. Imagine having to launch like a dozen missions to Duna just for the contract money. It probably wouldn't be worth it in contract rewards.

[No one]

How? Each Kerbal has only one flag per mission, and you have to choose the flag for the entire mission in the VAB. To be able to do this, you'd have to launch one Kerbal for every company, and that's for one use only. Imagine having to launch like a dozen missions to Duna just for the contract money. It probably wouldn't be worth it in contract rewards.

All you have to do is plant a flag, any flag. I personally use the NASA flag. You don't have to use the flag of the company.

If it did work the way you said it did, technically it would give you a return in the long run but given the existence of the science contracts it really wouldn't be.

[Foxster]

I also put a station with 8 "lifeboats" on-board around Kerbin. I detach a small ship to rescue poor stranded souls and deliver them safely to Kerbin.

[Pecan]

I haven't had a flag mission yet, I'm busy in sandbox. Does it say a particular flag or just 'a flag'? If the former then, yes that's going to be a problem. If the latter then you can return the Kerbal to the command pod to get another flag as often as you want (like RCS fuel).