Factorio Forums

TL;DR:

Enable more complex and easier managed space platform requests by utilizing circuit connections to cargo bays, which can specify separate request groups with sources.

Why?

The Space Platform Hub can accept requests from circuit connections, however this has some frustrating limitations, especially in 2.1:

• The requests cannot specify which planet to request from. *Workaround available.
• The requests cannot specify a source of planet/platform/any. (Primary issue!)
• All circuit controlled requests are mixed into a single cumulative section in the Space platform hub (SPH) titled "Controlled by circuit connection", which is annoying to follow with more complex logic networks making the requests.

This is a tricky issue because, with the current implementation, all requests must be sent directly to the SPH via circuit signals, which cannot include metadata (request source).
Proposed solution: use the cargo bays!

What?

• Let cargo bays (on space platforms) accept circuit connections, specifically for Input -> Set requests functionality.
• Circuit signals sent to a cargo bay are added as requests in the SPH. The requests from different cargo bays show up under separate sections in the SPH.
• By default, the requests will be from any source. However, by sending one or more planet signal(s) into a cargo bay, the source for that cargo bay's requests can be controlled. A planet signal with a value of 1 means that cargo bay's requests will only be from that planet's surface. A planet with a value 2 means only from platforms orbiting that planet. A value of 3 means both.

Example:

Connect a constant combinator to a cargo bay on a space platform. Set the signals for the constant combinator to:
Tungsten Carbide (x1.0k), Tungsten Plate (x1.0k), Vulcanus (x1)

Connect another constant combinator to a different cargo bay on the same space platform. Set the signals for this constant combinator to:
Uranium fuel cell (x100), Rocket (x500), Nauvis (x2)

Now when looking at the SPH, you will see:
Section: "Requests for construction"
[Your missing construction materials, if any.]

Section: "Controlled by cargo bay"
Tungsten Carbide (x1.0k), Tungsten Plate (x1.0k)
(Mousing over any of these requests will show "Import from planet: Vulcanus")

Section: "Controlled by cargo bay"
Uranium fuel cell (x100), Rocket (x500)
(Mousing over any of these requests will show "Import from platforms: Nauvis")

[Additional request sections as set within the SPH]

Sypwn wrote: Sun Sep 13, 2026 9:19 pm [*] Let cargo bays (on space platforms) accept circuit connections, specifically for Input -> Set requests functionality.

I also mentioned this a couple weeks ago in some other thread.
This would really help mitigate my headaches from being limited to "request from all" when using circuits.

+1

Please.

This would be a really awesome feature!

+1