Science

The first few stages of the Tech tree, showing the unlock system

Science, sometimes called science points, 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.

Science activities

Possible activities in different locations

Location	Surface Samples	EVA report	Crew Report	Experiments
				Mystery Goo Containment Unit	SC-9001 Science Jr.	2HOT Thermometer	PresMat Barometer	GRAVMAX Negative Gravioli Detector	Double-C Accelerometer	Sensor Nose Cone
On the ground	Biome	Biome	Biome	Biome	Biome	Biome	Biome (if atmosphere exists)	Biome	Biome (except water biome)	Biome
Lower atmosphere	—	Biome	Biome	Once	Once	Once	Once	—	—	Biome
Upper atmosphere	—	Once	Once	Once	Once	Once	Once	—	—	Biome
Near space	—	Biome	Once	Once	Once	Once	—	Biome	—	—
Outer space	—	Once	Once	Once	Once	—	—	Biome	—	—

Crew Reports

Requires	any command pod
Base value	5
Maximum value	8
Data scale	1
Transmission efficiency	100%

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, altitude, and at low altitudes also between different biomes.

Experiments

Experiments are parts like the Mystery Goo Containment Unit 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 unless the vessel has landed. 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 a penalty for sending it home instead of recovering the performed experiment, but when the craft has a steady supply of electricity to supply its antenna this doesn't matter much because an experiment can be repeated indefinitely resulting in the same science output as would be possible through recovery.

Experiment	Mystery Goo Observation	Materials Study	Temperature Scan	Atmospheric Pressure Scan	Seismic Scan	Gravity Scan	Atmosphere Analysis
Required part	Mystery Goo Containment Unit	SC-9001 Science Jr.	2HOT Thermometer	PresMat Barometer	Double-C Seismic Accelerometer	GRAVMAX Negative Gravioli Detector	Avionics Package
Base value	10	25	8	12	20	20	20
Maximum value	18	35	10	14	23	22	24
Data scale	1	1	1	1	2.5	3	10
Transmission efficiency	40%	20%	60%	60%	60%	60%	90%

EVA Reports

Requires	any command pod, one Kerbal
Base value	8
Maximum value	10
Data scale	1
Transmission efficiency	50%

EVA reports are done by Kerbonauts on an EVA. Like crew reports they give different results depending on altitude and biome if performed low enough.

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

Surface Samples

Requires	any command pod, one Kerbal
Base value	30
Maximum value	40
Data scale	1
Transmission efficiency	50%

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.

Craft recovery

Recovering a craft after it landed on Kerbin also yields science points by itself. Its value depends on how far the craft flew. Recovering a craft after a suborbital flight returns less valuable (but different) results than one which orbited the Mun, for example.

Repeating experiments

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

When an experiment is recovered after landing on Kerbin, its scientific value is reduced by 80% of its current value when it is performed again under the same conditions.

When it is transmitted instead, this reduction is divided by the transmission efficiency. So an experiment with a value of 10 and a transmit value of 60% will lose 10 × 0.8 × 0.6 = 4.8 science value when transmitted, which means it will yield 10 - 4.8 = 5.2 science the next time it is performed.

As a result it doesn't matter if the player transmits lots of times or returns a few times. In the end the total scientific yield of each experiment on Kerbin will always approach 125% of its initial value.

Repeated scientific experiments in different environments can each yield up to 1.6x 1.8x and 2x (and possibly more) the science of the value of the first experiment by performing and recovering (or transmitting) the same science experiment over and over again. Roughly speaking experiments that are transmitted at 20% efficiency take about 11 transmissions to yield the same amount of science compared to when they are recovered on the surface of Kerbin. 50% transmission requires about 3 transmissions to deliver the same amount compared to experiments that are recovered on the Kerbin surface.