SpaceCraft Automation Guide: Planetary Base Production

SpaceCraft automation is where the game can become powerful or messy. Steam describes automating planetary bases, but the useful question is not “how many machines can I place?” It is “does this chain produce something the company actually needs?” A compact, readable chain beats a huge factory that starves itself.

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Last checked: May 22, 2026. Automated planetary bases are confirmed publicly. Exact machines, formulas, throughput, fuel, power, transport methods, and planet bonuses need the live June 11 build.

Quick Answer

Start automation with one chain: input, processing, output, storage, transport, and use. Do not automate a product until you know where the input comes from and where the output goes. The best first automation is the one that removes a repeated chore and directly feeds ships, base expansion, or safe trading.

Automation Chain Template

Step	Question	Failure sign
Input	What raw material feeds the chain?	Machine sits idle
Processing	What station or machine changes it?	Wrong output or missing component
Output	Where does the product go?	Output blocks production
Storage	How is the product separated?	Nobody knows what is surplus
Transport	How does it reach ships, bases, or markets?	Goods pile up in the wrong place
Use	What build, ship, or trade route spends it?	Factory produces unused clutter

First Automation Priorities

Priority	Good target
Starter components	Parts used in several early builds
Ship inputs	Materials needed for cargo, engines, modules, or upgrades
Base modules	Pieces needed to expand production
Logistics support	Goods that reduce manual hauling
Trade surplus	Only after core builds are fed
Planet-specific output	When a planet clearly solves a shortage

Avoid Overautomation

Overautomation happens when players place machines because the system looks fun, not because the output is needed. That can be enjoyable later. Early, it creates confusion. You may end up with too many outputs, not enough inputs, no storage rule, and no transport route.

The best test is simple: if the chain stopped, what build would be blocked? If you cannot answer, the chain may be too early. Automate the thing you are tired of doing manually and that you know you will need again.

Storage And Logistics

Automation needs clean storage more than it needs more machines. Keep raw inputs near the machines that use them. Keep processed outputs separate from trade goods. Keep ship-building inputs near the shipyard or dock if the live build supports that. Keep planet exports in a place that pilots and traders understand.

Logistics is not a later luxury. It is what turns automation into progress. A machine making the right item in the wrong location may still be a bottleneck.

Planetary Base Layout

Planetary bases should be built around chain flow. Put input access, processing, storage, and transport in a readable order. Leave space for expansion, but do not spread machines so far apart that every adjustment becomes a trip. If the planet supplies one key resource, make the base excellent at that job before adding unrelated chains.

If multiple players build the base, assign one layout lead. Otherwise, each player may create a useful-looking corner that does not connect to the rest of production.

Co-op Automation Roles

Role	Responsibility
Automation lead	Chooses which chain to build next
Logistics lead	Moves goods between machines, storage, ships, and planets
Miner	Keeps inputs supplied
Builder	Places machines and base modules cleanly
Pilot	Moves outputs between planets or stations
Trader	Sells only confirmed surplus

The automation lead should not work alone. A perfect machine chain is useless without miners feeding it and pilots moving output. A logistics partner is especially useful because that player sees where the chain fails in practice.

Bottleneck Troubleshooting

Symptom	Check first
Machine is idle	Input source, storage path, or missing power if the live build uses it
Output is full	Output storage or transport route
Company lacks ship parts	Processed component chain, not just raw mining
Trade goods pile up	Market access or price timing
New planet underperforms	Whether its resources feed a real chain
Co-op players cannot find materials	Storage labels and shared routing

Trading And Automation

Automation can feed trading, but only after core supply is safe. A chain that sells everything may look profitable while quietly blocking ship upgrades. The trader should know which goods are protected. The automation lead should know how much output can leave the system without starving the next build.

After launch, live price data can turn automation into a trade engine. Before then, treat trade as a possible outlet, not the reason for every machine.

Common Automation Mistakes

Do not automate outputs with no use. Do not hide bottlenecks behind mixed storage. Do not build machines far from their input source. Do not let co-op players add chains without telling the logistics lead. Do not chase trade surplus while ships and bases are still missing core components.

Automation should make the company calmer. If it makes the base harder to understand, stop expanding and clean up the chain.

Next Pages To Open

• SpaceCraft resources guide
• SpaceCraft base building guide
• SpaceCraft ships guide
• SpaceCraft trading guide
• SpaceCraft co-op guide

Sources

• SpaceCraft on Steam
• SpaceCraft on SteamDB
• Shiro Games official site
• SpaceCraft official YouTube channel