A quick guide for new rockets (2024)

There are currently 6 rockets in the game (I will review the optimum setup in my view - with at least one cargo or research module; also long trips with the big habitat modulebut there are other configurations). The order is as per the picture (from left to right):

1. Hydrogen rocket. Clearly it flies more than any - 18 tiles if you use two fuel tanks (and one LOX for 450kg).

it takes 100kg of liquid hydrogen per tile (1800kg = 2 tanks by 900kg for a maximum 18 tile distance). It can carry one more extra module to the big habitat+nosecone. Considering the cost and complexity of making liquid hydrogen I see it as the ship which starts from the main base do a lengthy trip of 9 tiles and come back for refueling. The speed is good - 1.5 tiles per cycle in the current setup. Probably good for deep space exploration.

It can have 7 modules including the engine.

2. CO2 rocket. It can fly only 4 tiles but CO2 can be made available at any planet and it is easy to refuel. Very simple setup and CO2 can be recycled when takingoff and landing. The tank is 100kg and it takes 25kg of CO2 per tile. The speed is high - 1.7 tiles a cycle but loading takes some time.

It can be excellent for short distance cargo hauling (4 tiles is about distance between the 1st and the 3rd planets). It can carry a big cargo module (or any other module) but only with a small pilot module. it also can be used for developing a closeby newly discovered asteroid (sending a trailblazer and landing when the landing pad is built). It can have 3 modules including CO2 engine.

3. Sugarcane rocket. It can also fly 4 tiles (has been upgraded) but require an oxidizer. The tank contains 450kg of suger (it takes 112.5kg of suger per tile) and small solid oxidizer tank contains either oxylite or fertilizer. Oxylite is twice more effective and hence, a fully loaded tank with oxylite will last for 8 tiles (but sugar will not). If you load an internal bins with sugar (450kg or more) you can fly 4 tiles, land, refuel the fuel tank from the storage and return back. Consequently, could be a good one for close asteroid exploration and development. It can carry 5 modules (including the engine and oxydizer), so one more than CO2 rocket. It cannot carry big cargo module though. The traveling speed is low - 0.8 tile per cycle.

Possible configurations: big habitat+trailblazer or small habitat+ rover+trailblazer

You can load sugar and oxylite into internal bins for refueling plus it will keep oxygen level at 2atm in the habitat module.

4. Steam engine. It can fly 6 tiles and can carry 6 modules (no extra modules are needed apart the engine to fly). It is relatively easy set-up as you can create steam at any planet. A winner? Not really - it is very slow. The tank is 150kg and it takes 25kg per tile. The speed is only 0.2 tile per cycle.

Another thing to consider - it takes a while to load the rocket tank.

It can carry up to 3!!! big cargo modules (or any other modules) with big habitat (you need a big one due to very lengthy trips). It can be good to transport multiple cargo loads between planets (like solid, liquid and gas at once).

5. Small petrol rocket. The engine is petrol storage itself, you need to add oxidizing tank. The tank takes 450kg of petrol (75kg per tile) and it can fly 6 tiles. The speed is high - 1.7 tiles per cycle (same as CO2). It can carry 4 modules (engine+oxyder + 2 more). It can be used with a small pilot module and one extra module (like it can carry one big cargo module or let's say a cartographic module). The oxydizer story is similar to sugarcane engine.

It can be used for fully automated cargo hauling (similar to CO2 rocket) if distance is 6 tiles or less.If you replace small solid oxydizer tank with LOX tank (there is only big one in the game currently), you will reduce the speed to 1.4 tiles per cycle but you do not refill the tank on each side but one (the fuel to LOX ration is 1 to 4 - so 24 tiles to fly on fully loaded LOX).

6. Petrol (big one). It can fly 12 tiles with two fuel tanks (it consumes 150kg of petrol per tile - twice more than its small sister). Apart the big habitat+noseconeit can carry one module (assuming 2 fuel tanks + LOX tank). The fully loaded speed is 1.3 tiles per cycle.

* You do realize that the travel speed depends on the weight (which in turn depends on what modules you are using). The calculation is pretty straight forward (sum up all module weight - each has its own parameter and then divide the number from the engine power - sugarcane is 12, for example).

** The distance depends on amount of fuel/oxidizer and type of engine. 1kg of LOX is equal to 2kg of oxylite or 4 kg of fertilizer. Fuel to oxidizer proportion is 1kg of fuel to 1kg of fertilizer (so 4kg of fuel for 1kg of LOX). Having more fuel/oxygen than required does not reduce the travel distance.

*** You can increase the travel distance replacing big habitat+noseconewith a small pilot module and removing the extra module. This setup will allow to add extra fuel (up to 3 in total) and one extra LOX module (up to 2 in total). It will increase the travel distance for hydrogen rocket to 27 tiles (speed will go down to 1.4 tiles per cycle) and 18 tiles and 1.2 tiles per cycle for the big petrol one. So what's a point if you do not have any payload (unless youcheatplaying with carrying all cargo in internal bins).