Repeated Experiments & Data Loss & Getting all the Science!

[QuantumInc]

So to repeat widely known facts relating to the below questions: the game features various actions and various combinations of experiments, (each of which requires a particular module) and areas (i.e. various surface biomes and altitudes for each planet/moon, the wiki has helpful tables). Each time you do one of these things you get science, but when you repeat the action you get exponentially less science, in addition there seems to be a maximum amount of science you can get from a specific action. When you write a report or perform an experiment you can choose whether to store the data or to immediately transmit it back home for a reduced value, and the Mobile Processing Lab that can partially negate that penalty.

Questions:

You can "collect" the data from an experiment during an EVA, and deposit elsewhere, (usually a command pod). What does that do, can I simply reset and reuse the experiment module?

How do scientist Kerbals improve your science gain?

How do you tell when you've reached the limit of how much data you can store inside a spaceship?

Can you perform the same experiment multiple times with the same ship in the same biome?

If yes, would you want to bring several of each type of experiment module, or is it better to have a Mobile Processing Lab and just one of each experiment module?

So say you land on the Mun Highlands with several mystery goo containers and a mobile processing lab. Could I simply Observer the Goo, process that data in the lab, transmit it home, and then repeat the cycle with the same modules over and over until the science is maxed out for Mystery Goo / Munar Highlands? What if I Observed the Goo with several Mystery Goo modules, clicked store each time, and then brought it all back to Kerbin? Of course visiting the same biome on another planet repeatedly isn't really worthwhile, so how do you maximise a particular trip?

Edited March 10, 2015 by QuantumInc

[Starhawk]

You can "collect" the data from an experiment during an EVA, and deposit elsewhere, (usually a command pod). What does that do, can I simply reset and reuse the experiment module?

Many experiments reset when you remove the data, however the goo container and materials lab do not. When you remove data from these experiments you are warned that they will become unusable. They can, however, be reset by an attached science lab.

How do scientist Kerbals improve your science gain?

I believe they just add a small percentage to science values depending on their skill level.

How do you tell when you've reached the limit of how much data you can store inside a spaceship?

Each command pod can hold one copy of experimental data from each biome/situation. e.g. one copy of 'temperature reading landed at midlands on Minmus' in any given command pod. I understand the science lab can hold any number of copies of any experiments but I have not tried this.

Can you perform the same experiment multiple times with the same ship in the same biome?

Because of the above, not really. Unless you have multiple copies of the equipment and bring them back to Kerbin, or have a science lab and move them into the science lab each time you take a duplicate measurement.

If yes, would you want to bring several of each type of experiment module, or is it better to have a Mobile Processing Lab and just one of each experiment module?

That depends. These are different ways of doing things that are explored extensively in the Biome Hopper Challenge thread.

So say you land on the Mun Highlands with several mystery goo containers and a mobile processing lab. Could I simply Observer the Goo, process that data in the lab, transmit it home, and then repeat the cycle with the same modules over and over until the science is maxed out for Mystery Goo / Munar Highlands?

As far as I know, yes.

What if I Observed the Goo with several Mystery Goo modules, clicked store each time, and then brought it all back to Kerbin? Of course visiting the same biome on another planet repeatedly isn't really worthwhile, so how do you maximise a particular trip?

Because of diminishing returns, it's better to visit multiple biomes on each trip, if possible. That's what the challenge above is focused on.

Welcome to the forums. Hope this helps!

Happy landings!

[Rizzee]

1. It depends on which science instrument you have taken the data from. Mystery Goo containers and Science Jr.'s are single use, so when you take the data from them they are not reusable unless you clean/reset them with the mobile science lab. The thermometer, gravoli, seismic accelerator and barometer do not require cleaning and can be reused immediately after the data is removed from them.

2. They increase the science gained from transmitting. They also increase the effectiveness of the mobile lab(gives a higher % to transmitting) and the science gained from recovering craft.

3. As far as I'm aware you can carry as much as you want, I've never come across a limit. But I could be wrong.

4. Yes, if you transmit the data, however your science yield will be much lower. You can only carry 1 version experiment from a biome in a command pod at any time.

The mobile lab is quite heavy so at least for me personally, I very rarely attach it too craft and just take several versions of the experiments(usually 2-4). I do however, find it very good for rovers and bases.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Rizzee

[QuantumInc]

A similar thread I found useful:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/110174-Moving-Surface-Samples

Thank You

[Renegrade]

So say you land on the Mun Highlands with several mystery goo containers and a mobile processing lab. Could I simply Observer the Goo, process that data in the lab, transmit it home, and then repeat the cycle with the same modules over and over until the science is maxed out for Mystery Goo / Munar Highlands? What if I Observed the Goo with several Mystery Goo modules, clicked store each time, and then brought it all back to Kerbin? Of course visiting the same biome on another planet repeatedly isn't really worthwhile, so how do you maximise a particular trip?

You can't ever get past the transmission limit with JUST transmitting - you have to bring the results back to Kerbin to get that last chunk. You CAN chase the diminishing returns bit by bringing back multiple goo modules from a biome though. Not really worth it most of the time however.

The mobile lab is quite heavy so at least for me personally, I very rarely attach it too craft and just take several versions of the experiments(usually 2-4). I do however, find it very good for rovers and bases.

Well, the mobile lab is 3500kg (3.5t) - each set of one-shot experiments is 500kg (assuming single goo), so if you are hitting more than 7 biomes, it's more efficient to bring the lab (7*500=3500kg...). Also, you don't have to bring the lab to the surface - you can place it in orbit, and then take a lander with ONE set of experiments, land, use the experiments, return and then clean the experiments (after storing the results in one of the pods). Minmus has 8 equatorial biomes and the Mun er.. 10-ish?

What I do is I usually send single-shot ships to the non-equatorial biomes (Poles, Polar Lowlands, Polar Crater, Northern Basin, Southern Crater). That nets me enough science to make a nice Mun station and reusable lander, which I use to hit the rest of the biomes. (Similar process for Minmus, only with a much lighter lander).

I use a similar plan for far away planets, only usually the tree is completed by then, as it's like 10-11k long, and you can get well past that within Kerbin's SOI even without contracts so... :/