v2.1.0

This release changes the scanning mechanic to encourage more elaborate and purpose-built orbital stations on worlds where colonization has progressed beyond the early stages (i.e. Tier2+). In the PKS <2.1, there was a single scanner part (which looked like the IR telescope). It required one crewman and could be set up for any tier.

Starting in 2.1, there are two scanning parts - a one-crew part that can be used to research Tier-1 and Tier-2 scanning, and larger, two-crew part that can be used for all tiers. You can, if you want, forget about the small part altogether and just use the larger scanning part, it'll just be heavier to lug around.

The best way to think about it is this: if you know you're going to established a crewed presence in orbit from the get-go, you should probably launch with one of these. If you're going to go, do your research, and head home immediately to regroup for the next, then you could go with the smaller part to save mass and have a smaller crew count.

If you've been using PKS before, and you update to this version, all your old IR-telescope-looking-parts will be replaced with the new look. If you have old scanners of Tier-2+ already in orbit, those parts will continue to work. You just won't be able to upgrade them.

One more thing! If you look super-close at the big scanner part, it has a bank of lights on it that look like the signal strength bars on your cellphone. Those bars indicate how good your scanner network is around the planet. It's just an assessment of the number of satellites in orbit; you can supply your own ideas about how perfect the equipment is. You also need at least one antenna of any type for each satellite you have in orbit in order to utilize it. (That's just to finally give you the excuse you need to stick on more cool-looking but pointless antennae on your station!)