Astroneer is a sci-fi survival game. Most of your time, to begin with will be spent on the starting planet Sylva. But the moon and stars loom large over your landscape, and once you get past the initial game, you start dreaming about going out there. It's exciting to visit these new planets and see the exciting flora, discover the enriching research opportunities, and, most importantly, harvest the resources you can't get in your starting world.
Traveling to new worlds can be hazardous, though. You can really set yourself back if you don't equip yourself properly for the journey. So here are some things you should always make sure you pack with you when you go.
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Updated October 1, 2021, by Jamie Pellikaan: With recent updates and expansion to new consoles in 2022, Astroneer is quickly gaining new players who want to experience the unique space-centered survival game for themselves. Exploration is central to Astroneer's play format and with limited space, it can be tricky figuring out what exactly to pack when venturing off into uncharted space. Don't panic because we are here to tell you the essentials of what you need to not only survive but thrive on any planet you find yourself on.
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15 Platforms
You need platforms for most of your equipment to function, so you will need them on the new planet. It's tempting to think that you might make them when you get there. After all, they're not hard to make. However, there are two good reasons to make them before you go.
First, it takes less space to transport the platforms themselves than to transport the materials. Second, while you only need resin to make them, your landing site won't always have resin. You don't want to delay your operation because of a simple, avoidable mistake.
14 Solar & Wind Power
All your devices will require power on the new planet. You have many options to power your devices, but if you really want your operation to run smoothly, you should bring both solar and wind power with you.
Every planet delivers a mix of both, although some planets are heavier on one or the other. Having both power sources lets your operation run more smoothly with fewer interruptions. If necessary, it's easy enough to supplement with small generators running off local organic.
13 Batteries
As with real-life, renewable energy generation is intermittent in Astroneer. Batteries help balance your production with your usage. They even help with utilizing your power generation from generators, burning organic so you don't have to keep turning the generators on and off to conserve fuel.
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While you can sometimes find batteries among the debris, you don't want to depend on it. you also don't want to depend on finding a source of lithium to make batteries. Even in worlds where it's available, it's hard to find. Better to bring the batteries than to have your operations limited at first.
12 Soil Canister & Centrifuge
A soil centrifuge is a great backup against the variable availability of resources. Sometimes you might land in a place with a lot of resin, but very little compound. Or maybe it's the other way around. But no matter what, you can easily get these resources with a soil centrifuge, generating four stacks of one resource with a full canister of soil. And if you have a canister, you're always picking up soil whenever you harvest resources, or if you're creating a ramp to escape a pit you fell into.
You shouldn't count on making a soil centrifuge because it's smaller to bring the finished item, and if you don't have a smelting furnace, you can't make the aluminum necessary.
11 Atmospheric Condenser
One of the main reasons to go to another planet is to pick up atmospheric resources that aren't available on your planet. The starting planet Sylva has only two different atmospheric resources. The other four can be found on other planets, which may have between one and four of them present.
Atmospheric resources are critical ingredients or catalysts in many processes at your chemistry lab, so you need to be prepared to collect them. An atmospheric condenser requires three refined or composite resources that are hard to make, so it's best to just take the condenser itself.
10 Research Chamber
Another great reason to travel to other planets is to find research items that you can't find on your planet. These newly discovered research items can deliver many bytes, but they're also very bulky to carry home. It's just better to have a research chamber ready to start researching from the moment you land.
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And it's best to get started by placing a research item in it ASAP. It can take time to really break down research items, so the sooner you start, the better. It's also good to leave the research bay behind, actively researching an item so you have ongoing "passive income" in bytes.
9 Beacon
A beacon is an incredibly helpful thing to have when you travel. A beacon helps you find your base again, so you don't end up getting lost in the new world. Plus, beacons are visible from space, so it can help you make sure you either land at the same location or avoid a landing site that was a dud.
A beacon violates the principle of being smaller crafted than not because it only requires one resource to craft. You can just bring some quartz, but you don't want to accidentally use the quartz for something else. It's best to just bring the beacon.
8 Material for a Thruster
Astrogation is simple in Astroneer. Just point and shoot. Unfortunately, this can sometimes send you to a different planet than you wanted, and that can leave you stranded if you're not careful. And once you're on a strange planet unprepared for what you find there, it can be extremely difficult to find your way back home.
So, it's best to bring the resources you need to make up for this mistake. This means either carrying ammonium and aluminum for a replacement solid-fuel thruster or a backup canister of hydrazine for a hydrazine thruster.
7 Medium Printer
Despite the fact that this list is reasonably comprehensive of the things you're likely to need on a new planet, it's not exhaustive. In many situations, you'll need to make new modules, and if you want to do that, you'll be very happy to have a medium printer.
A small printer is easy to make if you need it, but a medium printer requires more resources, which may be scarce at your landing site. If you don't need it, you can just leave it packed for the next trip.
6 Vehicle
You don't strictly need a vehicle to explore a new planet. You can do it on foot, making a trail of tethers to venture over the horizon. However, it's just easier to travel with a vehicle. It's especially useful because it lets you keep traveling in search of resources, whereas if you run out of the compound, you can't keep making tethers.
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What's the best vehicle? If you have a small shuttle, you'll probably want a tractor and trailer. If you have a large shuttle, consider splurging on a rover. But if you do, make sure you are prepared to repackage it for the journey back home - that's an expensive piece of equipment to leave behind.
5 Oxygenator
A small oxygen generation system, this device is crucial if you are someone who likes to explore their new surroundings. Created at a small printer, an oxygenator not only supplies oxygen but can also power any connected tethers or platforms attached with cables.
These devices are crucial if you are in need of building a bigger base since they can supply power to anything that cannot be connected to the shelter. In addition, if you traveled to a planet to do some underground mining, these generators will make sure you don't die on the job.
4 Worklight
Being able to see is crucial when you venture out into unfamiliar territory and sometimes the tiny beam of the flashlight just doesn't cut it. This is why you need a work light that can be attached to your backpack for portable light that actually comes in handy.
You may think this item is unnecessary, but when you are traveling to new planets and you don't know the terrain it can be incredibly helpful to be able to shine a light on what is around you. This item is critical to being able to work around your shelter in the dark too.
3 Materials For A Printer
Having an already made printer is essential, but once you are actually on a new planet there may be some things you need that require a different printer size than the one you already have. That's why having the material to make any printer you need is essential to ensuring an efficient and successful planet exploration.
Printers can be set to print items repeatedly making them a good resource to have if you need a lot of something fast. The last thing you want is to not have the right printer for what you need.
2 Storage Boxes
Planets often have critical resources you need to craft different items. But, you will soon run out of space for all your new items and will need a place to put them. Luckily you can build different storage compartments for all your extra supplies.
There are several different storage options to craft from ranging from small to large and you build the one you need based on what you want to store in there. Some items can even be operated from within a storage container if that container is hooked up to a power supply.
1 Resin
While Resin can be found on all the planets, it's always a good idea to have some around if you need a printer or another craftable item on short notice. Especially when you are constructing a new base, having extra resin can save you a lot of time that you otherwise would have spent wandering around looking for it.
Resin is an essential resource that can be obtained using the Terrain Tool. Resin is primarily used in the construction of printers, but can also be used for chemistry labs and other items you need to expand your base.
NEXT: Astroneer: How To Get The VTOL
FAQs
What do you need to go to another planet in Astroneer? ›
To travel to other planets, you will need a space shuttle. There are different sizes of shuttles, but for your first time, you can just make a small shuttle. Below, you can find each shuttle type, where you can print it, and what materials you will need.
What's the first planet you should go to in Astroneer? ›4 Sylva. The starting planet in the game, this Terran world is noted to be 'Earth-like' with its plains, mountains, forests, and canyons. Sylva has a wide range of resources because of the various biomes, Malachite in the mountains and Sphalerite in caves.
What resources does Novus need? ›Novus has two Gateway Chambers, each requiring 21U/s of power for 30 seconds to be activated. Three Medium Generators on a Large Platform B is the easiest way to achieve this.
What do you need to survive on another planet? ›You need water, shelter, a power source, food and, unlike on Earth, you need oxygen. In terms of shelter, a basic structure could be made out of martian regolith, which can be used to create bricks. But any home on another planet would need added protection against harmful space radiation.
Can you fly in Astroneer? ›The VTOL, or Vertical Take-Off and Landing, is a lightweight aircraft in Astroneer that allows the player to travel long distances across the planets by flying over the surface of the planet.
What is the hardest thing to get in Astroneer? ›Astronium is a rare resource in Astroneer. Astronium appears as iridescent clusters, fading from green in the center to fuchsia on the edge.
What is the best planet order? ›The best planet order is: Na Shaddaa, Onderon, Dxun, Korriban and Dantooine.
Does Astroneer have an ending? ›Titled 'Awakening', this is the culmination of the game's story, ending what has been a beautiful journey across space.
What do you need to unlock Desolo? ›Gateway Network
Desolo has two Gateway Chambers, each requiring 8U/s of power for 30 seconds to be activated. 4 Small Generators or a Medium Generator on a Medium Platform A will do the job. At least one must be activated before the player can access the Gateway Engine in the core of the planet.
Atrox is the only planet that has Helium. Atrox is the only planet that requires a Gas to activate its core. Atrox is usually the last stop on the adventure of the astroneers.
How do I activate Atrox? ›
Unlocking The Atrox Gateway Engine
This gas is unfortunately not found on this planet despite it being rich in many others. Once the odd stone appears, you will need to insert it into the platform in the roof above to complete the activation of the gateway engine.
Overall, we recommend building RTGs, as well as larger renewable sources of power, such as the XL Wind Turbine and Solar Array.
What item gives the most bytes in Astroneer? ›Evidently, clay is the most efficient choice in terms of byte output per canister.
What is the smallest planet in Astroneer? ›Radiated is one of the Planets in Astroneer. It is the smallest and innermost planet in the Astroneer solar system, and can be accessed by flying to it with a Spaceship. Due to its slow rotation, the day/night cycle on the Radiated planet takes more time than the on the Terran planet.
What are 2 items a planet must have to support life? ›The standard definition for a habitable planet is one that can sustain life for a significant period; based on our solar system, life requires liquid water, energy, and nutrients.
What 4 things must a planet have in order to be habitable to life? ›- Right distance from their star.
- More or less circular orbit.
- Stable rotational axis.
- Some water, but not too much.
- No hydrogen-rich atmosphere.
- Plate tectonics.
- Magnetic field.
So, as far as we know, the 5 requirements for life beyond Earth include: Carbon, water, energy, time, and luck.
Can you fight in Astroneer? ›Exploring Planets
I love the freedom to explore in Astroneer, which is free of combat and hostile enemies, aside from some flora that explodes.
Galastropods, also known as Space Snails, are fauna that may be found in Astroneer. Following a chain of missions using the Xenobiology Lab, the player will unlock all seven snail friends, one for each planet. Each snail provides a different buff that requires feeding various hazardous flora seeds to activate.
Can you get a drone in Astroneer? ›Aero the Aerial Assistant is a camera drone item in Astroneer. Aero gives players a free camera in Creative Mode, with options to hide the UI or have filters similar to the Small Camera.
What is the end goal of Astroneer? ›
The player is tasked with colonizing planets, creating structures, and collecting resources. The character is called an Astroneer and the player can travel to planets to activate cores and complete the game.
How long does it take to 100% Astroneer? ›When focusing on the main objectives, Astroneer is about 21 Hours in length. If you're a gamer that strives to see all aspects of the game, you are likely to spend around 64½ Hours to obtain 100% completion.
What is the strange object in Astroneer? ›The Strange Object is used to summon in the Xenobiology Lab for the Strange Object mission, and leads to gathering all seven Galastropods.
Which planet is the weakest? ›Of the planets in our solar system, the one with the weakest magnetic field is Mercury.
What are 9 planets called? ›There were nine planets in the solar system, Which are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Now we have only eight planets as pluto is excluded.
Does your backpack disappear in Astroneer? ›If a player dies before retrieving their items, the backpack will be despawned and any attached items will pop off onto the ground. These items can retain the model size they would be on the backpack after being detached, but this is fixed after attaching them to a new backpack or module.
Are worlds in Astroneer infinite? ›You will land alone, or with a small crew of friends, on a planet to call your own. Harsh but bountiful, infinite worlds will beckon you to explore, exploit, and ultimately to reshape to your desire.
Is Astroneer addictive? ›It's got a lot of love put into it, and a lot of love's already been shown to it in return, but even more so than your average addictive building game, Astroneer is a lifestyle choice.
How do you awaken Sylvia? ›Proceed at your own risk. Sylva has six Gateway Chambers, each requiring 5U/s of power for 30 seconds to be activated. The easiest way to achieve it is to use 3 Small Generators. At least one must be activated before the player can access the Gateway Engine in the core of the planet.
How long is a day in Astroneer? ›The average time it takes to complete a day/night cycle is approximately 13 minutes. It is crucial to bring resources such as Compound and Resin to Arid as they are rare on the planet.
Does Atrox have a age limit? ›
13 and under not admitted without parent or guardian.
How do I activate my core Astroneer? ›The player must take the triptych up one of the three sides to the opposite platform. There, in the center, is a single platform with a slot for the triptych. Once it is placed, the engine will activate and reveal an Odd Stone, allowing teleporting to chambers on the surface, as well as to the satellite.
Are there caves on Atrox Astroneer? ›Cauldron Caves: This biome is located in the mantle of Atrox, and is scattered with large Flora resembling giant cauldrons full of yellow tendrils.
What is the big purple thing in Astroneer? ›Inactive chambers are a purple navpoint with a dot in the center, while active chambers have a chamber icon instead.
Do you need to activate every gateway chamber in Astroneer? ›As you make your way around Sylva, the starting planet, you will come across giant structures that appear to be made from a dark glass material. These are called Gateway Chambers, and they will need to be activated to see their full potential.
Is there tungsten on Atrox? ›You won't find wolframite (which you can refine to tungsten) on Atrox. My advice: Build yourself a base there and try to get laterite. Be aware that the plants there are pretty aggressive. For the future (I know it is obvious now): always have additional fuel with you.
Can you run out of power in Astroneer? ›Once depleted, Power Cells are consumed automatically. Power cells are created fully charged instantly and are helpful in use with small vehicles as a space-efficient automatic power source that is mobile and requires no generator.
Can you craft a QT-RTG? ›In Creative Mode, QT-RTGs can be crafted using a Nanocarbon Alloy.
What is the most explosive resource in Astroneer? ›Dynamite is an explosive item in Astroneer that can be used to destroy items and create holes in the terrain.
What is the biggest storage in Astroneer? ›The Extra Large Storage is the largest type of storage in the game and also the only tier 4 storage item. It can be crafted at the Large Printer, and it features 31 small attachment slots. As such, it carries up to 31 small items, but no medium or larger items. It can only be attached to Extra Large Platforms.
What are the 8 hidden achievements in Astroneer? ›
- Secrets of the Universe. Solve all of the Gateway Chambers.
- Shapes and Other Shapes. Find a Gateway Chamber.
- First Step Into a Larger World. Solve a Gateway Chamber.
- Encounter With the Infinite. Find a Gateway Engine.
- Sylva Awakened. ...
- Desolo Awakened. ...
- Calidor Awakened. ...
- Vesania Awakened.
Multiplayer co-op functionality exists within Astroneer for up to 4 players using clients on the same platform: PS4 with PS4, Steam with Steam, Switch with Switch.
What is the coolest dwarf planet? ›Pluto was officially reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006 . The best-known dwarf planet, Pluto is also the largest in size and the second largest in mass. Pluto has five moons.
What is the rare dwarf planet? ›Dwarf planet Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and it's the only dwarf planet located in the inner solar system. It was the first member of the asteroid belt to be discovered when Giuseppe Piazzi spotted it in 1801.
How do you get from one planet to another? ›This is called a Hohmann Transfer Orbit, or a least energy orbit, because this is the easiest way to send spacecraft between planets. Basically, a spacecraft in a Hohmann Transfer Orbit is put into an irregular orbit around the Sun, with one part that is "lower" or closer to the Sun than the other.
Can you visit another planet? ›In short, a visit to another planet by a human crew is possible, but some are easier to explore than others. Each planet is different and has a unique set of challenges. For example, the largest planet in our Solar System, Jupiter, is a 'gas giant' mainly composed of hydrogen and helium gas.
What do you need to activate the satellite in Astroneer? ›In order to activate the Gateway Fast Travel Network on the satellite, the player must first travel there by shuttle and interact with the Odd Stone on the outer platform. This allows travel between the satellite and any active Gateway Engine.
How do you activate a planet Astroneer? ›The player must take the triptych up one of the three sides to the opposite platform. There, in the center, is a single platform with a slot for the triptych. Once it is placed, the engine will activate and reveal an Odd Stone, allowing teleporting to chambers on the surface, as well as to the satellite.
Can two planets merge? ›a gravitational interaction can "kick" one of the planets very hard, either sending it into the sun or out of the solar system, or the mutual gravitational attraction of the two planets can cause them to merge, resulting in a spectacular collision.
Can a start turn into a planet? ›Yes, a star can turn into a planet, but this transformation only happens for a very particular type of star known as a brown dwarf. Some scientists do not consider brown dwarfs to be true stars because they do not have enough mass to ignite the nuclear fusion of ordinary hydrogen.
How long does it take to get to all different planets? ›
| Spacecraft | Target | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Galileo | Jupiter | 6 years |
| Messenger | Mercury | 6.5 years |
| Cassini | Saturn | 7 years |
| Voyager 1 & 2 | Jupiter; Saturn; Uranus; Neptune | 13,23 months; 3,4 years; 8.5 years; 12 years |
Surprisingly, despite being much closer to Earth than Jupiter and Saturn, Mercury is actually more difficult to reach.
How old is Earth? ›Today, we know from radiometric dating that Earth is about 4.5 billion years old. Had naturalists in the 1700s and 1800s known Earth's true age, early ideas about evolution might have been taken more seriously.
What planet can humans go to? ›No other planet in our solar system currently has the conditions to support life as we know it on Earth. Even if scientists discover another habitable planet outside of our solar system, humans do not yet have the technology to visit it.
How do you unlock the sun room Astroneer? ›The Sun Room is a room unlocked by completing the mission "Controlled Fire(wall)".
How do I activate Xenobiology Astroneer? ›The Xenobiology Lab is spawned in using the Strange Object rewarded from the Bait & Switch mission. When using the Strange Object, a portal will appear and a few seconds later the lab will materialize, as will a small field of debris surrounding the module.