Unloading tech data?

[Mormota (OP)]

How is it done? I have a salvager ship with 7200 RP of ECCM4 on it, but unloading everything from its cargo bay at my home planet didn't unload the tech data and I see no order for doing it.

Edit: Now my capital downloaded the tech data. No idea why or what I did differently, but it did. I'd still like to know what exactly needs to be done though. Thanks in advance!

[Brian Neumann]

Normally when a ship has tech data it unloads all the info on the first system which has a research lab in system.  I don't remember ever having a system with multiple colonies with labs so I don't know if only one of them would get the data or both.  One thing to note is research already done is specific to the colony it was done on.  If the data you are downloading is not enough to reach the next level of tech then you will need to finish the research on that planet.  No other planet will benifit from the partial research. Once you have researched the tech fully it is available for use anywhere.

Brian

[Mormota (OP)]

That can't be true since the salvage ship got the 7200 points, unloaded minerals and components at the planet, went back to salvage another wreck, and unloaded tech data on its second (and final) return.

[metalax]

If a ship has research data it will download it to the oldest colony with at least one research lab when it enters the system, unless you have selected the checkbox to "do not not release tech data" on the history/notes/techdata tab of the individual ship details screen.