I used up a bunch of science to add experiments and more Mechjeb capabilities so I could automate some stuff.  To start, I want to do an orbital material return mission which should bulk up my science a bit to get some bigger rockets and then score a telescope to get some of that science! Orbital Return (craft name, 4472 dV) Launch date: 1y 67d This has a bit of a tricky liftoff.  It needs to be held on accel and turn 20 deg to prevent a tip.  Since this overall craft is a single mission version, I don't think the instability is a concern. It will make orbit at 125km.  Increase its apoasis to 275 km so I can retrieve high orbit material science. Remember to get science in the upper atmosphere! Flawless mission. Solid science. <Orbital Return> I have now built an orbital probe with a few more experiments on it.  This is a testing probe for the next generation of system probes (and maybe further as well). Clark 1 Clark Probe ( Launch date: 1y 68d Clean launch. Testing going smoothly.  Getting a little science.  I have enough dV left (1755) that after going to higher orbit I may transfer to another body! 1598 dV at 275 km orbit.  Maybe a Sonnah pass? Requires 809 to go to  4000km Sonnah pass (low orbit science).  Ended up with a 2500 km periapsis. Electrostatic Analysis only works in near space.  Got the RPWS science for Sonnah as well.  The mag and scope had been done before. With 788 left, I am not sure what I can do, exploring the possibilities a bit. Using 650 to go into a big Kerbol orbit for the hell of it. I will get some more science out of it. Unfortunately, the ship got turned around with the panel facing away and used up it's reserve power.  I don't know if I will ever get powered again so it may be dead in space.  I am doing a save and am looking at running forward to see if I get some sunlight on the panel.  I think I might. <Clark 1> So I tested it and it does get power back but it takes almost a year.  I don't want to burn that time so I will simply have to use another ship to get high Kerbol science.  Anyway, that might be a good mission anyway because it will force me to make a better probe in prep for other worlds.  I just need a little more science... - Reset to Clark 1 I have updated the Clark Probe (5645 dV) and it looks like I can do a pretty good Eli mission. I do want to use the flipping solar panel though, the Probes+ version is driving me a bit crazy by not getting pointed right. Other research shows this may be a perfect time for a while for an Eve orbit.  May need to send something off to get some stuff out of it.  Maybe make a more advanced probe after an Eli mission? The other cool thing would be to get a sample return mission from Sonnah.  Maybe the craft descend into the atmosphere and after it collects the samples from the lower atmosphere, it fires rockets and returns to orbit.  That would be very cool to pull off! Clark 2 Clark Probe craft (5643 dV) Launch date: 1y 153d Eli probe mission with the 2nd generation probe.  If i can get enough science, I can create an upgraded craft for my first interplanetary outside the Sonnah system to Eve. After I arrived, I decided not to orbit Eli but to let it flyby and enter Sonnah Orbit.  I have 1097 dV left and maybe I can do something else with Clark 2.  I already have a probe in orbit, so another one doesn't really help.  In the meanwhile, this is not a great science mission (okay) and I got all that so maybe I just head out to space or something?  I don't know.  If I can encounter another system body, that may work too. <Clark 2> Did a full sim run to Eve using Clark Test craft.  It made it.  I had about 350 dV left after going into a 225x1000 orbit of Eve (which looks drab with a thick cloud layer).  But the science was huge!  I need to put together this mission.  I will shoot for 8000 dV (craft had about 7700) to give me a bit more flex.  Eve has no moons. My Sonnah sample return sim did not go so well.  The ship could not point up and I think I will need a ton of dV to make that work.  I need to do more sims before really trying it. Clark 3 Clark Probe craft (5603 dV) Launch date: 1y 157d A Mun mission with the Clark craft.  This should get me enough science to upgrade my interplanetary craft. The auto stuff did not work.  I was able to manually create a transfer maneuver. Pretty cool!  That did work and I am able to make orbit. I did get my science to break 90 so I have new stuff I can add for my deeper probes. <Clark 3> I want to spend a bit of time constructing the Magellan craft (which will be my interplanetary core) and also the Lowell-1 which would be our first space telescope. In building Lowell 1 I realized the camera does not act as a telescope.  I need to spend 300 science to get some real space telescope, so I will save the Lowell moniker. Next craft to build will be a system lander to get some surface science (no return).  Then I need an system return craft for orbital goo and material collection (and space dust).  This all should get me some good science so I can start evolving my kerballed program.