I want to produce 45 science per second (a blue belt).
How many space platforms will I need for this? It seems that however big I make a platform I will be limited by the number of asteroids that happen to float by.
Also is there a limit for the max rate that supplies can be sent from a platform to the surface?
Thanks
Re: Max white science from space platform
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2024 2:58 am
by kaijyuu
Because of the asteroid productivity research there's no solid answer for this. In the limit, it will be one.
Just make a simple setup and spam multiple copies, imo.
Re: Max white science from space platform
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2024 3:49 am
by EustaceCS
There is an undocumented space-to-ground thoroughput limit. Attaching more cargo bays to your landing pad (and presumably platform hub too) USUALLY increases it. Although if my eyes don't deceive me, troubles start from auto-shipping 24 items per second in cargo bay less setups...
A bare landing pad + a sample platform of this configuration
is providing 0.16 packs per second on Navius orbit.
Since you have access to Express Belts but no stack inserters yet, you can probably double it by replacing the crafting machine with Uncommon Assembler 3 (which you're expected to have unlocked already). And slam 3-4 of these on single platform, resulting in expected ~1 pack per second per platform (exact mileage might vary due to how asteroids and space platforms work). It's unlikely that Nauvis orbit can supply all 4 crafting machines decked into crafting speed 24/7 - but possible! 5+ might be doable but it'll need some real mad skills with belts and bonus chunks reprocessing.
Depending on which modules and power sources (and Qualities) in which orbit you would like to use, real estimation will vary VERY wildly.
...but unless you'll do something very smart, your inserters will be bottlenecking you rather than your air-to-ground thoroughput (or space productivity) anyway.
Re: Max white science from space platform
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2024 6:06 am
by Linsanga
Space-to-ground throughput is effectively infinite, since a single drop pod can contain as many items as is needed. There are some limitations around the number of types of items you can drop to the ground, but if you are just dropping one item type it should be fine.
Re: Max white science from space platform
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2024 1:54 pm
by EustaceCS
Manually - technically, yes. Current calldown queue have to resolve before manually queued drops are processed, and each platform's priority drop slots have to be filled manually...
Automatically... before 117735 fix it was VERY noticeable that air to ground thoroughput is very finite. viewtopic.php?p=624367#p624367 (ergo, limited air to ground thoroughput) is still a thing unless someone accidentally this limitation.
I want to produce 45 science per second (a blue belt).
How many space platforms will I need for this? It seems that however big I make a platform I will be limited by the number of asteroids that happen to float by.
Also is there a limit for the max rate that supplies can be sent from a platform to the surface?
Thanks
Let's think outside the box a bit. Yes, we are limited by the little chunks that we encounter in the orbit of Nauvis. But what's stopping you from making your science factory travel between planets until there is X science in storage?