Science

Science is needed to unlock new Parts in the Tech tree. It is obtained by performing different scientific activities at different locations and then either returning to Kerbin and recovering the craft or sending your scientific analysis home through an antenna.

Performing the same activity multiple times in the same environment yields additional science points, but with diminishing returns each time the activity is repeated.

Science activities

Crew reports

Crew reports can be created in every manned Command pod. Each command pod can only store one report at a time (Kerbonauts seem to be unable to memorize more than one at a time), but they can be sent home with an antenna without penalty allowing the crew to create a new one.

Crew reports differ between current celestial body, height, and at lower heights also between different biomes.

Experiments

Experiments are Parts like the Mystery Goo Container and behave similar to crew reports. They can be performed in different flight phases and on different celestial bodies returning different results. The biome, however, does not affect them. Just like crew reports, each experiment-part can only store one result at a time, but a result can be sent home with an antenna to allow the experiment to be performed again under the same or under new conditions. There is, however, a large penalty for sending it home instead of recovering the performed experiment.

EVA reports

EVA reports are done by Kerbonauts on an EVA. They give different results depending on height and on lower heights also different results per biome.

In contrary to crew reports and experiments, a Kerbonaut can memorize a different report for each condition he performend an EVA in during the mission.

Surface samples

Surface samples can be taken by Kerbonauts when performing an EVA on the ground (or in the oceans) of a celestial bodies. The results vary by biome.