how do we start to launch a probe to explore

[Raphx]

at the beginning how to be able to launch probes

[gimmethegepgun]

To launch a probe you need to research one of the "Mission to X" global techs, which will make probing bodies relevant to the Mission tech possible.
Then, you select the body you want to probe, and there will be an icon on the bottom that allows you to launch a probe, which expends Boost and Money (or space resources later on once you have shipyards)

[Swat__Raptor]

You have to research mission to moon to unlock sending probes to the moon, and once explored you can build bases on the moon, mission to Mars allows you to send probes to Mars and similar for the other mission to astroid belt, mission to jovians.

[Kunming]

Im asking because I never tried it but can you send a ship equipped with the science lab to a location you dont have the tech yet and probe from the ship module?

[Patrus]

As far as I know, you can't send a ship to a location, that you haven't researched yet. The transfer planner doesn't allow you to select it as a target.

[Pawleus]

And you can't probe from a ship module - you do a scientific mission that lasts 30 days, instead. Currently, the best way outside of Asteroid Belt is to send a colonizer, establish a station, build a spacedock and send a probe from it - without science modules you can build smaller, cheaper and faster colonizers (or not build a science ship at all).

[Kunming]

Oh, ohhh. Yea thx for the info guys, I never thought that module would be of any use anyway.

[Raphx]

thanks

[Tattoo]

be careful in hastily launching probes to kuiper, i had launched a probe to MakeMake and discovered antimatter tech, built ships, sent them out and beat the probes.
Sounds great, right? Except for one thing...
You can't found outposts until it's been surveyed. AND, you can't cancel a launched survey probe or try a new survey if one has already been scheduled.
TLDR; Ended up waiting 5 years in orbit waiting for a survey to complete.

[gimmethegepgun]

Originally posted by Tattoo:

be careful in hastily launching probes to kuiper, i had launched a probe to MakeMake and discovered antimatter tech, built ships, sent them out and beat the probes.
Sounds great, right? Except for one thing...
You can't found outposts until it's been surveyed. AND, you can't cancel a launched survey probe or try a new survey if one has already been scheduled.
TLDR; Ended up waiting 5 years in orbit waiting for a survey to complete.

So build a survey ship and use that?

[Tattoo]

the ship had survey, however it's not an option if another probe was launched.