If I have weapon in my small slot I don't get the scanner for the prospecting minerals mission.

This is with a Centaur so only one small slot. I didn't try it with a ship with multiple slots.

Yes, mr_spuck. I had the same problem with the "Recon/Spy" mission. It seems
that you must remove a weapon from the small port BEFORE you accept the mission. I don't know if this is a "bug" or not, although one of the "tips" states that anything you aquire but don't have room for will be put in station hold.
Obviously, it does not do this for the scanner. First time I tried one of these missions, I looked all over for the darn scanner to no avail....

Also, because you only get 75exp for one of these missions, it just isn't worth it
to re-arrange your weapons and groups (and then change it back) to do one...

In the mission description it says you must have at least one empty s slot, so no, I don't think this is a bug. Also, imagine if the mission gave you an extra scanner every time you took a recon mission, that would get frustrating if a bunch of free scanners piled up in the station hold.

It doesn't tell you for the Mineral prospecting Mission.

And ... the scanner is taken back after the mission is finished. So you never have more than one.

i just got the same thing on my prospecting mission, guess i'll have to fix that little problem.

I had an empty slot and it still wouldnt give me the scanner! Had to log out and back in again and retake the mission.