Guides
SpaceCraft Planets Guide: Expansion and Resource Routes
Quick Answer
Choose SpaceCraft planets by what they add to your network: needed resources, base space, route value, trade access, or a bridge to the next production chain.
SpaceCraft planets should be judged by what they add to the network. A new planet is useful if it supplies a missing resource, supports a production chain, creates a better route, enables trading, or gives the company room to build. A planet that looks interesting but solves no problem can wait.
Use the SpaceCraft guide hub to connect planet choices with ships, bases, resources, automation, co-op, and trading.
Last checked: May 22, 2026. Space exploration and planetary bases are confirmed publicly. Exact planet names, resource distributions, route distances, hazards, and map details need the live June 11 build.
Quick Answer
Do not expand to every planet immediately. Scout first, ask what the planet contributes, then build only when it supports the current chain. The best next planet is the one that fixes a shortage or creates a route your ships and bases can actually use.
Planet Decision Table
| Planet value | Expand if… | Wait if… |
|---|---|---|
| Resource source | It has a material blocking ships, bases, or automation | You cannot process or transport the resource yet |
| Base site | It gives useful production space or location | You have no chain to build there |
| Trade access | It connects surplus to demand | You do not know live prices |
| Route bridge | It shortens travel or opens next area | Ships cannot support the route |
| Company hub | Co-op players can use it as a shared work point | It splits the team too early |
| Exploration target | It reveals useful data | It distracts from a broken home chain |
Scouting Plan
The first scout should gather practical information, not complete the whole galaxy. Check travel time, docking or landing comfort, visible resources, possible base space, return path, and whether the planet solves a real need. If the planet seems useful, return with a clear recommendation: “Build a small resource outpost,” “keep this as a waypoint,” or “ignore until later.”
Do not send the whole group scouting unless the home base is stable. A company with no production at home can discover five planets and still be stuck.
Planetary Base Choice
Build small first. If a planet supplies a key input, build extraction, processing, storage, and transport around that input. If the planet is mainly a route point, avoid overbuilding. If it becomes a trade hub, separate trade goods from protected build materials.
The base should match the planet. Copying the same layout everywhere may waste resources. A mining planet, trade planet, and production planet may need different storage and ship access.
Route Planning
Ships define how planets connect. A planet that is technically useful can still be poor if the route is too slow, cargo is too small, or the home base cannot process the goods. Before committing to a route, test one run with a small cargo target. If the run returns useful materials and does not disrupt the rest of the company, scale it.
For co-op, create route ownership. One pilot can own the planet route while another manages home production. Without route ownership, players may duplicate trips and leave other planets unsupported.
Expansion Stages
| Stage | Goal | Good sign |
|---|---|---|
| Scout | Learn what the planet offers | You can explain its value |
| Test run | Move one useful cargo or resource | The route returns something needed |
| Outpost | Build minimal storage or production | Output reaches the main chain |
| Production base | Automate a reliable planet-specific chain | Goods flow without constant manual repair |
| Trade or hub role | Connect surplus, routes, and company roles | The planet supports several decisions |
Co-op Planet Roles
| Role | Job |
|---|---|
| Scout | Finds and evaluates planets |
| Route pilot | Runs cargo between selected planets |
| Base builder | Places outpost layout and storage |
| Automation lead | Builds planet-specific production |
| Trader | Watches whether the planet creates surplus |
| Logistics lead | Decides which planets stay active |
What To Check After Launch
After June 11, check planet names, visible resources, route distance, travel time, base placement rules, transport limits, hazards if present, trade access, and whether a planet’s output can be automated. Those facts determine whether a planet deserves a dedicated page later. Before that, a general expansion guide is more honest and more useful.
First Expansion Rule
Your first expansion should reduce pressure on the main base. If the home chain lacks one input, the next planet should help supply it. If ships lack cargo parts, the next route should feed ship building. If trading is tempting but production is weak, the next planet should strengthen production before markets. This keeps exploration tied to progress.
When To Abandon A Planet
Not every planet deserves continued work. Leave a planet light if its resource is common elsewhere, if the route is too long for current ships, if the base cannot export useful goods, or if the team keeps forgetting why it exists. A small outpost is not failure. It is a waypoint that can become important later when ships, markets, or production chains change.
Common Planet Mistakes
Do not build a base on every planet just because you can. Do not let scouting replace production. Do not send trade ships before prices and surplus are clear. Do not expand past the cargo capacity of your ships. Do not leave planet outputs stranded in local storage with no route back to the network.
The best planet is not the prettiest. It is the one that makes the next chain work.
Next Pages To Open
- SpaceCraft ships guide
- SpaceCraft base building guide
- SpaceCraft resources guide
- SpaceCraft automation guide
- SpaceCraft trading guide
Sources
FAQ
How should I choose the next planet in SpaceCraft?
Choose the planet that solves a current shortage, creates a useful base, opens a route, or supports trading with real surplus.
Are SpaceCraft planet resources known before launch?
No. Planet exploration is confirmed, but exact planet resources and routes need the live build.
Should every planet get a base?
No. Build only when the planet contributes a resource, route, production site, or trade purpose.
Who should scout planets in co-op?
Assign a scout pilot who records useful routes and returns with clear expansion recommendations.