Technology tree

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The entire tree as of 1.0.4

The Technology tree allows the player to unlock more advanced parts for constructing variously level craft. It is a branching tree structure composed of nodes, each containing a set of one or more parts. Previously collected Science points have to be spent to research a node, which then unlocks its parts for use in the Editor. Funds may also be involved in unlocking individual parts depending on the difficulty settings.

The tree is accessible via the Kerbal Space Center Research and Development Facility's “Technology” tab. As part of the Science system, the Technology tree is not available in Sandbox Mode; instead all parts are automatically unlocked. All other modes begin with the initial node “Start” unlocked. Each node beyond it has a prerequisite node or nodes which must be unlocked before it can be researched. Unlocking the entire tree requires 18 468 Science including the hidden nodes, but 16 918 without. Before difficulty modifiers, there are 392 019.3 Science points available from experiments, and 6 055.8 from recovered vessels.

There are two additional placeholder nodes in the stock game which are included in the table below, but have no parts currently assigned to them. The nodes appear towards the end of the Tech Tree, and are only displayed in-game when a mod is installed which use them. These nodes are: Nanolathing, costing 550 Science, and Experimental Motors, costing 1000 Science. While these cannot be unlocked via research, it is technically possible to unlock them via Green Monoliths.

Use

Precision Engineering is an example of a research node with prerequisites. It requires either Advanced Flight Control or Electrics to be unlocked before becoming available.

The technology tree is displayed as a horizontal branching tree structure, with low tech research nodes on the left and higher tech nodes on the right. The root node of the technology tree, Start, is on the leftmost side of the tree and is unlocked by default in all new Career Mode games.

By conducting missions and collecting Science, the player may spend their Science points on available research nodes. In Career mode, depending on the difficulty settings, funds may also be required to unlock each part in the node. Only nodes that have had their dependencies unlocked are displayed on the technology tree. As the player unlocks more nodes, higher tech nodes will become available until the eighth tier of the tree is reached.

Most research nodes have dependencies upon earlier, lower technology nodes. For example, the General Rocketry node requires that the Basic Rocketry node is unlocked before the player may spend 20 Science points to unlock its parts. Some nodes have multiple dependencies that require several nodes to be unlocked before they become available. There are also research nodes that have multiple dependencies, but most only require one of them to be unlocked prior to becoming available. Within the stock tech tree, Nuclear Propulsion and Ion propulsion are the only nodes that require all dependencies.

In Career Mode there is also a further restriction depending on the level of the research facility. The starting building allows only nodes under 100 Science points, the mediocre allows up to 500 Science points, and the final facility has no limits. (These restrictions can be put into Science Mode by editing the save file to reduce the building level)

Research nodes

Icon Level Cost (⚛) Node name Required node(s) Prerequisite for Parts list
Start.png
1 0 Start

None

Basic rocketry.png
2 5 Basic Rocketry
Engineering 101.png
2 5 Engineering 101
Survivability.png
3 15 Survivability
Stability.png
3 18 Stability
General rocketry.png
3 20 General Rocketry
Aviation.png
4 45 Aviation
Basic science.png
4 45 Basic Science
Tech tree advanced flight control.png
4 45 Flight Control
Advanced rocketry.png
4 45 Advanced Rocketry
General construction.png
4 45 General Construction
Propulsion systems.png
5 90 Propulsion Systems
Space exploration.png
5 90 Space Exploration
Flight control.png
5 90 Advanced Flight Control
Advanced landing.png
5 90 Landing
Tech tree aerodynamics.png
5 90 Aerodynamics
Tech tree electrics.png
5 90 Electrics
Tech tree heavy rocketry.png
5 90 Heavy Rocketry
Fuel systems.png
5 90 Fuel Systems
Advanced construction.png
5 90 Advanced Construction
Miniaturization.png
5 90 Miniaturization
Actuators.png
6 160 Actuators

None

Command modules.png
6 160 Command Modules

None

Heavier rocketry.png
6 160 Heavier Rocketry
Precision engineering.png
6 160 Precision Engineering
Advanced exploration.png
6 160 Advanced Exploration
Tech tree large control.png
6 160 Specialized Control

None

Landing.png
6 160 Advanced Landing
Supersonic flight.png
6 160 Supersonic Flight
Advanced fuel systems.png
6 160 Adv. Fuel Systems
Advanced electrics.png
6 160 Advanced Electrics
Specialized construction.png
6 160 Specialized Construction
Precision propulsion.png
6 160 Precision Propulsion

None

Advanced aerodynamics.png
6 160 Advanced Aerodynamics
Heavy landing.png
7 300 Heavy Landing

None

ScanningTech.png
7 300 Scanning Tech
Advanced unmanned tech.png
7 300 Unmanned Tech
Tech tree nuclear propulsion.png
7 300 Nuclear Propulsion

None

Advanced metalworks.png
7 300 Advanced MetalWorks
Field science.png
7 300 Field Science
High altitude flight.png
7 300 High Altitude Flight
Large volume containment.png
7 300 Large Volume Containment
Composites.png
7 300 Composites
Electronics.png
7 300 Electronics
High-power electrics.png
7 300 High-Power Electrics
HeavyAerodynamics.png
7 300 Heavy Aerodynamics
Ion propulsion.png
8 550 Ion Propulsion

None

Hypersonic flight.png
8 550 Hypersonic Flight
Generic (scnode).png
8 550 Nanolathing

None

None

Unmanned tech.png
8 550 Advanced Unmanned Tech
Meta-materials.png
8 550 Meta-Materials

None

Tech tree very heavy rocketry.png
8 550 Very Heavy Rocketry

None

Advanced science tech.png
8 550 Advanced Science Tech
AdvancedMotors.png
8 550 Advanced Motors
Specialized electrics.png
8 550 Specialized Electrics
High-performance fuel systems.png
8 550 High-Performance Fuel Systems

None

Experimental aerodynamics.png
8 550 Experimental Aerodynamics

None

Automation.png
8 550 Automation
Aerospace tech.png
9 1000 Aerospace Tech

None

Large probes.png
9 1000 Large Probes

None

Experimental science.png
9 1000 Experimental Science

None

Generic (scnode).png
9 1000 Experimental Motors

None

None

Experimental electrics.png
9 1000 Experimental Electrics

None

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 This research has multiple other requirements