Which tech to unlock next?

[bitslizer]

Newbie here.

I have managed to unlock all the tech of the 160 science level and the 330 science tech with the RoveMax rover wheels.

I have enough science to unlock another 330 science level tech.

2nd mission to Mun managed to put an MPL/Gas station + a 4xGoo/Material lander in orbit around Mun, but the station is running low on fuel and still quite a few (like half) Biomes to go(have the lander fully fueled(4x FT400+8x Toro tank) and not quite enough left in the station for another refuel.

also did a cheap 3x Goo/Material landing/return at Minmus earlier.

Which one should I unlock? I'm leaning towrad one of the following, but is open to suggestion

1. Nuke rocket engine
   
2. Ion Engine - Go Interplantery or more cheap light Mun/Mimus Science landers? I do have a MPL in orbit around Mun
   
3. Sesmic Sensor - more science!
   
4. Turbojet - SSTO to conserve fund for cargo delivery (doesn't have to be spaceplane, can be SSTO rocket/turbojet), also thinking about using a SSTO to haul fuel up into orbit, want to start thinking about LKO station and staging for interplantery science pillaging. also thikning to see if i can refuel the Mun orbit station with an SSTO and recover the science data (shoulda include a cheap/light science recovery pod for returning to kerbin).
   

Any advice to a n00b would also be greatly appreciated

Edited October 29, 2014 by bitslizer

[Cerberus738]

Personally i would go for the seismic sensor. Nuke rockets (Second choice) help a lot of interplanetary but Duna or Eve take so little deltaV to reach that any of the other engines will work for a mission to either. or both. Then after those missions you should have enough science to unlock everything else. Ion engines are a waste of time in my personal opinion. I messed around with them a bit but the burn times are outrageous. They are good for TINY TINY TINY probes and that about it. Turbojets (Third choice) are good... planes are fun to fly but spaceplanes are annoying to get into orbit

[Oafman]

I reckon always get science items first. At least, that's the route to tree completion in fewest flights

[capi3101]

I agree - I usually make a beeline for the science instruments first. The Gravioli Detector yields a large amount of science in and of itself. After that, it really's a matter of your own gameplay preferences. I'd say the nuke if you want to go to Duna or Eve soon, the Turbojet if you're wanting to stay local for the time being. Ion Propulsion is usually what I unlock dead last in the whole tech tree; anything an ion engine can do, a regular rocket or spaceplane engine can generally do faster.

[LethalDose]

If you're comfortable designing SSTOs and have small payloads that you want to start sending up, then I'd say get the TJs. Otherwise, I'd go with the seismometer for more science. The nukes are largely unnecessary IMO (they're a convenience), and the Ion's engines are good, but are probably better after you have SSTOs to launch super small probes for cheap.

Edited October 29, 2014 by LethalDose

[bitslizer]

Seismic sensor seem to be the best bet then, I'm thinking to do a combo fuel resupply, science recovery pod plus seismic sensor delivery to Mun. for the sensor delivery, maybe a double ended docking ring with the sensor radially attached to the docking rings? That way i can dock it as a sensor package to the lander. The lander has everything except the seismic and barometric (no point bringing Baro to Mun...).

[Pecan]

More of the same really;

- Science is what you're after at the moment, so get the tools for the job.

- Nukes are nice (is that the first time anyone's ever said that?!) but you probably don't need them yet.

- Turbojets are excellent BUT i) you can easily SSTO without them, ii) Single Stage further than To Orbit is inefficient, iii) spaceplanes (and jet SSTOs in general) are harder to design and fly when you're just starting, iv) A spaceplane/jet-SSTO big enough to lift a meaningful amount of fuel is even harder and, depending on your computer, could be a lag-beast.

- Spacesuits don't need ioning.

[davidpsummers]

I agree with Seismic being first choice, get more "bang" out of what you have. The nuke is nice, but more needed in interplanetary. The ion engine really only needed for really big delta-v's and is only for small craft. SSTO isn't something you just do quickly and move on, at least for me. It is a whole learning curve in itself.