Making a Career out of KSP

When I started playing KSP, there was no career mode.  Sure the majority of the modules were there, but no functionality.  There were a few mods that added some sort of realism to the game but I didn't really care for them.  I was content to hold out until Squad as able to implement a proper career mode.  

I think it was [.22] when they implemented "career mode".  Up until then, the only mode you had available was "sandbox mode".  It was fine at the time (and it still provides an adequate challenge), but career mode renewed my love of the game.  It had be waning due to over-excessive play time.  I loved the challenge and to me, it was like playing the game for the first time again.  

I found the career mode challenging, but not impossible. When it was first introduced, you could spam science and have missions with over 5k science points.  Even in the early part of the career, once you could make it to the Mun or Minmus, you could gather a lot of points with one or two missions and then move on to Duna (it's moon, Ike) and Eve (and the moons in it's mini solar system). 

Those were the good ole days.  In the current build, you can only run experiments once on certain science modules.  It added more challenge to the game.  Some players had trouble with the base career mode [when first introduced] and with the new system, I would venture a guess that if I checked the forums, I would see some of the same posts.  Fear not though, KSP career mode is possible even with vanilla KSP.  You just have to plan out your missions carefully and be mindful and deliberate on how you spend your research points. I just started a new career mode last night and I was able to get a Munar flyby on the 4th or 5th mission.  Coincidently, I have a few mods installed that caused me to lose my kerbalnaught.  I was able to transmit all the science that the rocket had as the oxygen ran out.  I didn't have any extra life support fitted and I took the long way around the Mun.  My Kerbal died right around the apoapsis (highest / farthest point) of Kerbin orbit.  It was a sad day, but the Kerbal that died was basically a red-shirt.  Life goes on for everyone else.  

It just reminds you that you can always make the challenge of KSP harder with mods.  So as always, fly safe-ish.