How to use Breaking Ground Deployed Science

The purpose of this guide is to provide a tutorial for the Breaking Ground deployed science experiments. With the new addition of construction it has become more confusing for new players to figure out how to place them and have them work properly.

Getting Started

You should not go into construction mode. Just get a Kerbal close enough to the storage to drag and drop items to/from the Kerbals inventory.

Items that get deployed

Grand Slam seismic device

Mystery Goo device

Ion Collection - airless only

Weather Station - atmosphere only

Control Station

Power units - either deployed solar panels or nukes <should be deployed by engineer>

Transmitter




Items underlined in red need to be placed in Kerbal's inventory to get deploy option.

How to deploy

You have to place the item into the Kerbals personal inventory.

Once you have it equipped on the character you will have a deploy icon on the items picture in the lower corner. You must click on the deploy icon to get the deploy options for placement.


An Engineer should deploy the power supply parts for maximum output.

A Scientist should deploy the experiments for maximum output.

Note - Experience level on the Scientist or Engineer will also effect the amount produced when deployed. Other parts it won't matter and even a Pilot can place them.

Verify Function

Interact with items to make sure they are powered and connected.
Science will collect over time for most things, the seismic device only takes a single reading when you crash something near it.



Now you wait.... it will take some time to build up and transmit so it is best to do other things while it works.
Every so often you will get a report some science has transmitted until it is complete. It is at regular intervals but the time will change depending on how fast the science collects based off the level of the scientist who placed it.

NOTE:
Currently it seems the solar panels do not always show output on their own interface. They do show output on the control box so they are putting out, just a false UI issue.

WARNING IF YOU MOD YOUR GAME

It has been reported that there may be some issues using the parts if you have mods.

A user has reported needing to place the control unit last for it to work. I tested the game repeatedly and this was not needed in an unmodded game.

If someone can verify the issue and post back that would be appreciated.

I did see a KOS window on the control box for the experiments in the persons screeshot but do not know if that mod is the problem or not.

[GunsForBucks]

the % depends on the level of the scientist who places it
Not sure of the exact numbers

Most of the time I would set them up and go interplanetary and fast travel.. it will auto send when it has enough.

A lab might be faster if it is for the points. Again the scientist level in the lab will determine how fast it is. At max with two scientists you can get up to 18 per day.

[Kitty Dekabr]

What to do if percentage of science is accruing to slow? I waited for 60 days, but collected only 6,82%

[GunsForBucks]

you get the most out of solar panels or the nuke when an engineer places them

A non engineer will probably only get one power unit per item. Even with an engineer you may need quite a few to power everything

[hilbilrace1]

Also, I only brought a pilot and scientist

[hilbilrace1]

It says all of my modules are connected, but not powered? Do I have to do something differently?

[ironcal67]

I just got Breaking ground dlc and this was so helpful. Thanks!

[GunsForBucks]

Honestly not sure. I just assumed it was for transmission only as there never seems to be an option to collect data that I recall. That said I am old and can forget things pretty fast ha ha.

If you do find a way please comment again and I would be happy to add it to the guide, with credit to you of course! Thanks!

[Luke]

Thanks for writing this guide!

I want to manually collect the experiment results so that I can process it at a lab for increased science, so I set up my experiments without any deployed communication device. Unfortunately the control station has a built in communicator that is in range of my relay network, and I can not stop it from transmitting science!

I tried to disable the base station, but that stops all science generation on the deployed experiments.

Is it possible to set these up to be "collected" only, or is it only possible for it to be transmitted?

Thanks!

[nosewheel steering]

ok thanks

[GunsForBucks]

I need to add that to my FAQ guide actually so thanks!!