Mobile processing lab?

[ELK]

Can I park it on the side of my runway to use it or does it have to be in orbit?

Does it get unlimited data over time? (you would have to be returning/transmitting the data)

Should my first lab have landing or docking capabilities or should I just leave the 2 scientists in space?

If you trasmit data from experiements does it decrease the max potential science gain? (specifically not the mobile processing lab but regular experiemnts)

Should I focus on heavier rocketry, supersonic flight, or a different 160 science goal first?

[Technicalfool]

Originally posted by ELK:

Can I park it on the side of my runway to use it or does it have to be in orbit?

You can park it on the runway if you want a massive penalty on the amount of science returned. Getting it at least to orbit is recommended, and different celestial bodies have different multipliers applied. A Minmus-orbiting MPL processing experiments from shuttlecraft can bring in a ton of extra science over time.

Originally posted by ELK:

Does it get unlimited data over time? (you would have to be returning/transmitting the data)

Processing an experiment produces data, which the lab can store 500 units of. While working, the lab will process data into science at (IIRC) a 1:10 ratio of data to science. It can store 2500 science units before it needs to be transmitted back to Kerbin.

The rate of data to science conversion will depend on the skill of your scientists, and the amount of data on board. As the data depletes, the conversion rate will slow down.

If you have a full 2500 science on board, make sure you have a ton of EC and/or a large array of solar panels to get it all back without interruption.

Originally posted by ELK:

Should my first lab have landing or docking capabilities or should I just leave the 2 scientists in space?

Up to you, but it's probably better from an efficiency point of view to leave the lab (and maybe fuel, orbital engines, etc) in space and use a shuttlecraft. If you just don't have the docking ports, you can always use the Klaw as a cheaty docking port later.

Originally posted by ELK:

If you trasmit data from experiements does it decrease the max potential science gain? (specifically not the mobile processing lab but regular experiemnts)

You should be able to pick up any remaining science at a later date by running the same experiment in the same biome and recovering the science instead.

You can also use the MPL to process 0-point experiments from exhausted biomes, so long as you haven't processed them in that MPL yet. Not really related to the question but might be useful info.

Originally posted by ELK:

Should I focus on heavier rocketry, supersonic flight, or a different 160 science goal first?

Depends on whether you like air or space. Don't forget there's also Advanced Electrics, which you'll really need to run that MPL without coating the entire outer surface in OX STAT panels and z100 batteries.

[Astronaut]

You can use it anywhere andit can keep making science with the same experiments for the rest of eternity. If you can keep it going that long. For the tech tree, you should focus on what node you need. Say you're planning a mission to the Mun. You're probably not going to be using supersonic flight for that.

[ELK]

I collected a bunch of science (348.7).

Grabby Mc. Claw: science-295
Mobile processing lab: science-250
Advanced electrics: science-250

I'm gonna test out the MPL at KSC. I can grab tons of experiments from all the complexs for the scientists to process. If that doesn't give me much science then I'll probably go for supersonic flight so I can knock out these pressure/temperature/sample missions on Kerbin.

Would it be a better goal to grab all the experiemnts from the complexs then take the MPL to space for data processing?

[Chibbity]

Originally posted by ELK:

Should I focus on heavier rocketry, supersonic flight, or a different 160 science goal first?

I tend to prioritze nodes that unlock more ways to gain science. Ie. experiments.

Consider it an investment. The node may cost 80 or w/e but you are gonna make way more science than that with the part you unlock, just using it around the KSC/Kerbin.

[Chibbity]

Originally posted by ELK:

I'm gonna test out the MPL at KSC. I can grab tons of experiments from all the complexs for the scientists to process. If that doesn't give me much science then I'll probably go for supersonic flight so I can knock out these pressure/temperature/sample missions on Kerbin.

Would it be a better goal to grab all the experiemnts from the complexs then take the MPL to space for data processing?

It gives practically nothing on Kerbin. (Like literally zero for some experiments.) The multiplier on lab gains at Kerbin is like 0.1 or something?

The KSC biome science is pretty low-end; you are gonna have a hard time filling it up with that stuff, even if you are going to put it in orbit after.

Just put it in orbit empty, make a Mun trip, and bring the science back to the lab.

[ELK]

LOL
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1258297935

[Chibbity]

Hmm...looks a little floppy.

They make pills for that you know?

[XLjedi]

I'd definitely go Supersonic Flight before Heavy Rocketry... because (at this point in the game) I've grown tired of looking at the pile of Kerbin Survey Missions. Also, it holds the Mk2 cockpit and I do tend to favor space planes.

[Jupiter3927]

I used one in my last Duna mission and brought back 2 of every science.
One set of science data was going back to Kerbin and the other was being fed to the lab for science points.
It worked really nicely while I was waiting for the Duna -> Kerbin transfer window.

Just remember you can't put the same data in the lab twice.
It won't process the mystery goo high above the moon data if it already did that but another lab will.

[Mightylink]

It works best if you put it in orbit of the planet you are gathering data from except Kerbin.

[Chibbity]

What's really funny about this is that all this typing could have been skipped by putting 6 letters into the google search box.

KSP MPL

https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Mobile_Processing_Lab_MPL-LG-2

[dogwalker1]

I just unlocked the MPL and sent my 1st one to land on Minmus. Seems a treasure trove of science points. Just taking eva reports from several locations before landing and transmitting them back was enough to unlock the next same-tier research. And compared to that, processing surface sample data through the lab over time is going to generate a huge amount of science. Unfortunately the meager solar panels and batteries I loaded won't be enough to keep the MPL running except in spurts. The lab has the fuel and gear to return to Kerbin wen I feel I'm done with it. I may unlock Advanced Electrics and send up a better equipped one.

[Jupiter3927]

Bring lots of batteries or allow you antenna to transmit partial data instead of requiring the whole thing to go through at once.

[dogwalker1]

Originally posted by Jupiter3927:

Bring lots of batteries or allow you antenna to transmit partial data instead of requiring the whole thing to go through at once.

It's not just the transmitting though - processing the data into science in the lab consumes a LOT of electricity. Sure you can send the data as is without processing it, but you get a lot more science by processing it first it seems. So improving the ability to generate the electricity as well as store it is important.

[Chibbity]

Originally posted by dogwalker1:

Originally posted by Jupiter3927:

Bring lots of batteries or allow you antenna to transmit partial data instead of requiring the whole thing to go through at once.

It's not just the transmitting though - processing the data into science in the lab consumes a LOT of electricity. Sure you can send the data as is without processing it, but you get a lot more science by processing it first it seems. So improving the ability to generate the electricity as well as store it is important.

Not really.

Once you leave the active flight scene, the lab will continue to process in the background without using electricity. So you really just need enough to turn it on and return to the Space Center.

Just fast forward at the KSC for a bit and go back to it.