Mark One Laboratory Extensions (M.O.L.E.)

*Dolores Kerman flipped the ignition switch and MOLE-1 lumbered off the pad, its solid boosters struggling against the force of gravity. In time, the boosters gave way to the Titan core stage, powered by twin Fulcrum engines. A few minutes and stages later, the Mark One Laboratory Extension achieved orbit. With orbital rendezvous and docking still in R&D, MOLE-1 was part spacecraft and part space station. Once their orbital tasks were complete, Dolores and Isaxy- the scientist sitting in the Mk-1 pod's "Backseat" extension- would deorbit the combined spacecraft and ditch the station elements before re-entry.

Isaxy wasted no time after achieving orbit, and immediately deployed the SPF-8 solar panels and entered the Mark One Laboratory Extension through a hatch in the heat shield. She would be spending the next 30 days studying various experiments like space adaption and protein crystal growth. Dolores, on the other hand, would be working with MOLE-1's other module. She had a script to follow to "sort out technical issues" with the space telescope while in reality, she'd be pointing the KH-10 towards the ground and taking pictures of things that were interesting to the Kerman Air Force...*

Are your Mk1 command pods gathering dust? Wish you had a space station earlier in your career? Want to fly more than one kerbal at a time? Then the Mark One Laboratory Extensions (MOLE) are for you! Give your Mk1 command pod a new lease on life by adding a back seat module to fly an additional kerbal. Then add a docking tunnel system with integrated RCS and parachute for making rendezvous and docking easier. When you're ready for the next step, try out the Mk1-88 "Brumby" 2-seat command pod. Create a simple disposable space station by adding a Mark One Laboratory Extension, power module, and SPF-8 solar panels, and launch it on the 1.875m line of Titan fuel tanks powered by the LV-T270 "Fulcrum" engine. For a longer endurance station, bring up a station hub and dock a variety of parts to it including a habitat, greenhouse, workshop, airlock, and even a space dock to build new vessels(#). You can conduct a variety of experiments that require long research times and trips to Kerbin to reap the science, and your stations can even include the KH-10 Telescope for, uh, astronomy! Yeah, that's it!

(#) Requires Extraplanetary Launchpads.

MOLE is a stand-alone parts pack with optional support for Pathfinder, Real Chute, KIS/KAS, kOS, CactEye Telescopes, Raster Prop Monitor, RPM ASET Props, Kerbal Snacks, TAC Life Support, Kerbalism, USI-LS, and more.

Inspiration

Back in the 1960s, the USAF had a military space program, and one of its projects was the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL). MOL was designed as a spy satellite (KH-10 Dorian) disguised as a military research station. One of the cool things about it is that the Gemini spacecraft was already attached to the station when it launched. The Air Force flew a mockup into orbit once, but then the program was cancelled.

References

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2539/1

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=1647

http://www.thelivingmoon.com/45jack_files/03files/MOL_Manned_Orbiting_Laboratory.html

http://www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?p=66

http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/barianmm.htm

http://www.space.com/31470-manned-orbiting-laboratory-military-space-station.html

http://www.nro.gov/foia/declass/MOL.html