If you'd rather use your shuttle for Science!, I've got the config for you. Reduces cargo, adds fuel, and adds a great deal of specialty equipment that would let it do observational research, communications relaying, or even electronic warfare in a pinch, though it's obviously limited by its low thrust and armor. For longer-duration missions, you've still got 30 tons of cargo, which also means, if you're feeling nuts, you could transport teams of explorers down to the surface in, say, PA(L) suits, kind of like how the Kirghiz carries elementals in one config.
Columbia OmniShuttle Research
IS experimental
100 tons
BV: 301
Cost: 9,597,500 C-bills
Movement: 3/5
Engine: 100
Heat Sinks: 10
Structural Integrity: 10
Armor: 64
Armor
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Nose 20
Left Wing 16
Right Wing 16
Aft 12
Weapon Loc Heat
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C3 Master with TAG AFT 0
Equipment Loc
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Recon Camera NOS
Hyperspectral Imager NOS
High-Resolution Imager NOS
Infrared Imager NOS
Look-Down Rader NOS
Remote Sensor Dispenser RWG
Cargo (10 tons) RWG
Beagle Active Probe RWG
Remote Sensor Dispenser LWG
Cargo (10 tons) LWG
Guardian ECM Suite LWG
Cargo (10 tons) AFT
Remote Sensor Dispenser AFT
Communications Equipment (15 ton) AFT