Tri-phase Exploration Contracts

[Synapse]

Tri-phase Exploration Contracts

I am sure I am not the only one who feels that the exploration contracts for each body are over far too quickly. The Mun/Minmus missions can be done almost straight away and then you're stuck doing the procedural missions, which while I'm sure have their place, shouldn't be the bulk of activity (or at least players should have a choice). I therefore propose that these missions are expanded and developed into three stages of exploration. This will make the missions more realistic, give us reasons to return to the bodies and open up the potential for proper exploratory missions rather than a 1-phase landing and return.

Rather than being consecutive in the sense of choosing the missions, I think you should only be able to complete stage 2/3 once the prior stage is complete. Therefore it is possible to complete all three phases in a single mission, but would encourage multiple missions to that body if funds are low.

I also include photography missions instead of EVA report/crew report , I know several people have suggested photography as a form of science in the past and this seems like a natural inclusion. The progression also allows for a unmanned phase 2 mission but requires phase 1+3 to be manned. Admittedly the manned mission to Eve would be difficult to accomplish, but I see the point of the three phase model as making exploring planets nonlinear in the sense that you will be scouting Eeloo probably before you launched a manned mission to Eve.

Anyway here is the proposed format. I see the phases as follows (I must stress these are comparative rather than actual fees/science):

Explore Minmus - Phase 1:

• Take a crew report within space of Minmus - 10 funds, 5 science

• Orbit Minmus - 10 funds, 2 science

• Photograph a landing site on Minmus - 10 funds, 2 science

Completion: 40 funds, 15 science (total 70 funds, 24 science)

Explore Minmus - Phase 2:

Must have completed Phase 1

• Land on Minmus (must be within 10km of the photographed landing site to complete) - 20 funds, 5 science

• Transmit/recover scientific data from the surface of Minmus - 20 funds, 10 science

• Photograph the surface of Minmus - 20 funds, 8 science

Completion: 40 funds, 15 science (total 100 funds, 38 science)

Explore Minmus - Phase 3:

Must have completed Phase 1 + 2

• Plant a flag on Minmus - 35 funds, 10 science

• Recover a surface sample from the surface of Minmus - 30 funds, 15 science

Completion: 40 funds, 15 science (total 105 funds, 45 science)

Explore Minmus - completed!

Grand total: 275 funds, 107 science

[Vaporo]

I like the concept, but there are a a couple of problems:

Phase 1 would be entirely about probe exploration. Manned missions wouldn't come until phase 2 and 3. It probably would go something more like:

Phase 1:

Do a flyby/enter orbit over Minmus.

Transmit scientific data from space around Minmus.

Photograph Minmus from high in space.

Phase 2:

Orbit Minmus.

Land on Minmus.

Transmit scientific data from the surface of Minmus.

Photograph Minmus from space near Minmus

(optional) Do detailed mapping sans of Minmus

Phase 3:

Do a manned orbit / flyby of Minmus.

Do a manned landing on Minmus.

Recover surface samples from Minmus.

Return all crew involved in the mission to Kerbin.

Secondly, the rewards for completing the contracts that you suggested are WAY underpowered. The funds rewards would have to multiplied by a factor of *at least* 100 to become viable.

[vexx32]

As OP mentioned, the values stated for the funds and science are there for comparison to each other -- more of a ratio, rather than actual values.

I personally do think that Phase 1 ought to be an optionally unmanned stage also; perhaps replacing the crew report with a more far-off shot of Minmus as a whole.

[Vaporo]

As OP mentioned, the values stated for the funds and science are there for comparison to each other -- more of a ratio, rather than actual values.

I personally do think that Phase 1 ought to be an optionally unmanned stage also; perhaps replacing the crew report with a more far-off shot of Minmus as a whole.

Oh, yep. missed that part. My apologies to the OP.

[Synapse]

Thanks for the feedback, I agree that phase 1 should be possible manned or unmanned. Regarding phase 3, should it be vital that the crew are returned to Kerbin? On the one hand, this does encourage more complex return missions, as opposed to suicide one-way trips. But is this something we should paternally encourage or leave open-ended? I have mixed opinions.

[tater]

"Crew report" could just as well be "science from orbit above Minmus" as ANY science or crew report triggers this. so the mission could be manned, or unmanned.

The "Photography" could be a "survey" above 5000m or whatever, then the surface collection needs to be from that area (the FP stuff is in there, might as well use it).