Science and probe cores

[GigaG]

Can a Kerbal extract science from a probe core like he can from a manned capsule?

One more "bonus question" - Pound-for-pound, what is the most efficent power source (I'm looking to power a double ion drive)

[r_rolo1]

On the first, yes ( I assume you mean the experiments parts in a probe, not the core itself, though )

On the bonus: It depends of your distance to Sol. I haven't made the math, but I find that from Jool up it is far better to use RTGs ... and OFC, most of the power parts are actually physicsless ( so they don't actually have mass in game ).

[GigaG]

Sorry, I just didn't realize that no experiment on an unmanned probe would go to the core.

You read my mind - my plan is a double-ion-engine Bop/Pol lander. Gigantors are a bit too big. Well, actually, how many tons can two ion engines lift from Bop (the larger of the 2 if I remember correctly.) By the way, I'm definitely bringing at least one RTG to avoid running out of juice. My plan is to make a robo-probe that is capable of carrying a Kerbal.

Bonus question 2 - Can a Kerbal store surface samples and EVA reports in a probe core? What about a command seat?

[UmbralRaptor]

Pound for pound, OX-STAT wins until you hit the 0 power point due to that PhysicsSignificance flag. But since that is at almost 3x Jool's semi-major axis, you're unlikely to hit that. Even without that flag, OX-STAT > OX-4A/B > Gigantor > RTG. This holds past Eeloo's apoapsis. (In stock, were you get 50% power at Jool instead of 4%)

[r_rolo1]

Pound for pound, OX-STAT wins until you hit the 0 power point due to that PhysicsSignificance flag. But since that is at almost 3x Jool's semi-major axis, you're unlikely to hit that. Even without that flag, OX-STAT > OX-4A/B > Gigantor > RTG. This holds past Eeloo's apoapsis. (In stock, were you get 50% power at Jool instead of 4%)

True, but I do find that in Jool mini-system, you get a lot of eclipses ( because Jool is big and because the angular size of Sol from there is so little ), so the panels are not as reliable as we would like...

On Bonus question 2 : AFAIK you can only store sci experiments in kerbals ( ), capsules and sci labs ...

[GigaG]

Crap.

I figured to break even I need... wait for it... TWENTY-FOUR RTGs to maintain an indefinite burn with 2 ion engines. Seriously...

How many tons can 2 ion engines lift from Bop? Considering the fact that this is a 100,000 kerbollar mini-lander, I plan to use the same lander for both Pol and Bop and carry extra xenon aboard the mother ship.

Here is a component list if you need it. It's a pretty big lander, but Pol and Pop and pretty small moons...

2 "big" xenon tanks

2 radial xenon tanks

1 Okto-2 core

1 Communotron 16

8 small battery packs (100 charge per pack)

10 cubic octagonal struts

2 ion engines

2 command seats

1 Science Jr. (they look heavier than they are, honestly)

2 Mystery goo

24 RTGs (I want to be able to indefinitely burn, only limited by my xenon stores.