Factorio Forums

The satellite is not used in Space Age. It is replaced with the cargo pods shuttling items back and forth to the space platforms. I am proposing that it be repurposed to allow for temporary satellite coverage of the map.

I admit that we have roboports with a little bit of visibility and spidertrons can be used in the late game, after they are researched on Gleba, but we are already launching rockets into space. Why would we be blind to what the surface looks like in real time?

I am not advocating for everything that is revealed by the player through exploration and conquest (think flying artillery shells), but if I want to see what is happening AND I want to do it with little to no risk, I would like the option to point a satellite at a location on the map. There should be restrictions that areas that are completely in the fog of war cannot be revealed by dropping something in to get an instant sit-rep. Maybe give us a planet's day/night cycle? Perhaps a week?

I know that it might be too late to include with Space Age, but perhaps it will inspire and influence others. I have not checked to see if mods already accomplish this.

Just dropping an idea here, before I forget about it again.

• All Seeing Satellite
• Orbital Map Uplink
• Power Satellites

I like the idea of Satellites as a "Rocket Usage Sink". I think Radar coverage is well-provided by the existing Scanning mechanics + Spidertrons + Roboports.... but the idea of having Solar Power beamed from space is pretty neat, especially on Aquilo where surface-based Solar is essentially useless.

For the use of satellites in orbit that generate power, it would not matter whether the solar panels are on Aquilo or in orbit, you are still dealing with the long distance from the star.

Let's assume that you double the power output and ignore the night time downtime. It is still not a lot of power. That 1% of Nauvis' light incidence is what you are fighting, being that far away.

However, thank you for the links. I might check them out later.

michelguenette wrote: Sat Jul 04, 2026 4:50 am For the use of satellites in orbit that generate power, it would not matter whether the solar panels are on Aquilo or in orbit, you are still dealing with the long distance from the star.

Let's assume that you double the power output and ignore the night time downtime. It is still not a lot of power. That 1% of Nauvis' light incidence is what you are fighting, being that far away.

Solar Panels on a Space Platform at Aquilo generate 60% of baseline. Solar Panels on Aquilo’s SURFACE generate only 1%, which is just enough of a trickle to keep the last inserter feeding a Heating Tower.