Tutorial:Science mode

How it Works

In Career Mode your objective is to fill out the Tech Tree by gaining science. These are some strategies and explanations on how to be successful.

Basic Understanding

Science points are gained by doing experiments. The amount of science gained for each experiments depends on the location, type of experiment, and times you have already preformed the experiment. The type of experiment is determined by the equipment you use. The location depends on the biome, doing an experiment on the same biome will not yield different results. The more times you have used the same equipment, on the same biome, the less value there is in each experiment (this does not mean doing the same experiment more than once is not useful.)

Science points also scale depending on distance away from Kerbin. Experiments performed in orbit around Kerbin generate more Science Points than those performed at Sea Level, escaping from Orbit around Kerbin generates more Science Points than those performed in orbit, and so on.

How to Experiment

To experiment you must right click on the desired equipment and left click on: Crew Report, Run Atmosphere Analysis, Observe Materials Bay, Observe Mystery Goo, Log Temperature, Log Pressure Data, Log Gravity Data, Log Seismic Data, EVA Report, or Take Surface Sample. Once you have experimented you may transmit, or keep the data. Transmitting will make more space for further experiments, but requires a communication device and Electric charge. If you keep the data you may transmit it later, or keep it and recover it with the vessel. Note: Keeping data will not allow the equipment to make further experimentations, except for EVA Reports and Surface Samples, you may have one EVA/Sample report per biome.

Strategies

There are many ways to play Kerbal Space Program, but these are some general guidelines for Career Mode.

First Launch

On your first launch you may want to get enough science to get the next tech tree node Basic Rocketry (in particular the TR-18A Stack Decoupler) to build more efficient rockets. A simple rocket with a single FL-T200 Fuel Tank, LV-T30 Liquid Fuel Engine, Mk16 Parachute, and Communotron 16 is enough. While on the Launch pad preform a Crew Report and transmit. Then (without falling off) preform a EVA Report, and keep it. Then after liftoff, preform another Crew Report and keep. Then once you touch down (you will certainly break the engine), recover the vessel.