Planets & Colonization
Planets are the ultimate long-term investment. Claim one, populate it, and watch it produce resources while you sleep.
Finding Planets
Planets exist in dangerous sectors (91.4% of the galaxy). They appear in the sector info panel when present. Some are unclaimed — ripe for the taking. Others are owned by rival players.
Tip: 10 starter planets were seeded across The Void. Check sectors in the 150–800 range for unclaimed worlds.
Planet Classes
| Class | Name | Best For | Max Colonists |
|---|---|---|---|
| M | Earth Type | Balanced production | 30,000 |
| K | Desert | Fuel ore | 40,000 |
| O | Oceanic | Organics | 200,000 |
| L | Mountainous | Fighters | 40,000 |
| C | Glacial | Low production | 100,000 |
| H | Volcanic | Fuel farming | 100,000 |
| U | Gas | No production | 3,000 |
Best starter pick: M-class (balanced) or K-class (fuel ore sells everywhere). Avoid: U-class unless you want a tax haven with no output.
New captain? Read Best Beginner Planet Setup for a simple first-planet plan.
Creating a Planet
- Travel to a dangerous sector with no more than 4 existing planets
- Press G to launch a Genesis Torpedo
- Pay 80,000 credits
- The planet class is randomly rolled based on sector density (more planets = higher chance of U-class)
Warning: Genesis torpedoes are single-use and expensive. Make sure you can defend your new world.
Colonization
Planets need colonists to produce anything.
Transporting Colonists
- Dock at a StarDock (D)
- Select Transport Colonists
- Choose how many to move
- Pay fuel (10 per sector distance) + 5 credits per colonist
Tip: Transport colonists from the nearest StarDock to minimize fuel cost.
Optimal Population
Production follows a bell curve — peak efficiency at 50% of max colonists:
| Class | Sweet Spot | Peak Daily Output |
|---|---|---|
| M | 15,000 | ~2,142 org, ~1,153 eq, ~5,000 fuel |
| K | 20,000 | ~10,000 fuel |
| O | 100,000 | ~50,000 organics |
| L | 20,000 | ~4,000 org, ~10,000 fuel, best fighters |
| H | 50,000 | ~50,000 fuel |
Overcrowding past the sweet spot yields diminishing returns.
Production
Daily at 8 AM UTC, your planet produces resources based on:
- Planet class ratios
- Current colonist count
- Production caps (each resource has a max stockpile)
Produced resources accumulate on the planet. You can collect them by visiting the planet and transferring cargo to your ship.
Tip: If you forget where your planet is, check the Planet(s) line in your ship status panel. Click the count to open a planet info list with sector numbers, then click a planet to open its full controls.
| Resource | Produced By | Best Classes |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel Ore | Mining | K, H, L |
Note: “Fuel Ore” on planets is the same commodity as “Ore” at ports — they share the same cargo space. | Organics | Agriculture | O, M | | Equipment | Manufacturing | M, L | | Fighters | Military training | L, M |
Citadels
As your planet grows, you can advance its citadel level at a StarDock.
Benefits
| Feature | Effect |
|---|---|
| Higher levels | Stronger defenses, more Q-Cannon power |
| Q-Cannon | Automatically fires on hostile ships entering the sector |
Defense tip: A well-developed planet with a Q-Cannon and a fighter garrison is a fortress. Rivals will think twice before jumping in.
Planet Defense
Your planet is vulnerable until you defend it:
- Deploy fighters in the sector (press F) — see Fighters & Mines
- Advance the citadel for Q-Cannon coverage
- Limpet mines can slow down attackers
Warning: Unclaimed planets are first-come, first-served. Owned planets can be attacked — your colonists and citadel are only safe if you make the sector hostile to invaders.
Taxes & CHOAM
Planet owners in FedSpace pay CHOAM tariffs. This also counts toward Pay Taxes daily bounties. In dangerous space, you set your own terms — but no one patrols your sector for free.