first of all: Thank you for providing us with this great game experience and exceptional maintenance for over a decade.
I have something i am not sure about of it is intended or if it is a bug:
Problem Short Description:
Space Platforms with a space platform starter pack in their inventory never service requests from space platforms to be built.
What i did:
1. Build space platform ("Melfish") that assembles space platform starter packs and keeps them in the inventory. Let it build and keep some starter packs.
2. Activate "Provide materials to other platforms" on that platform.
3. Deactivate automatic fullfilment of service requests on planet bound rocket silos.
4. Use "+ Add space platform" in map view to set up a new request for sending out a starter pack to a new platform ("CubeFanGaming") over the same body ("Nauvis").
5. Wait.
What happened:
1. Nothing, hovering over the entry of the space platform to be built says: "Space platform hasn't been built yet. A rocket must deliver a Space Platform Starter Pack first."
What i expected:
1. The request to be served via inter-space-platform-logistics.
2. The new space platform to be built.
When does it happen:
1. Always
Why could this be a bug?
To my understanding this might be intended behavior as the tooltip says "rocket must deliver", or it could be an oversight when introducing inter-space-platfrom-logistics. The current situation is somewhat anti-thematic as rockets only provide a cargo pod into orbit, the same as space platforms via logistics. With regards to real word physics, servicing would also make sense as the servicing space platform already is in orbit and orbit adjusting could be made by implicitly already existing station keeping thrusters. With regards to game balancing, there have been some controversial discussions in the linked reddit thread, my personal view is that there is no cheese included, as the "saved cost for rocket launches on the planet" are countered by the investment to make starter pack assembling possible. There's no clear justification for space plaforms not servicing "new platform requests" apart from the tooltip stating "by a rocket".
Additional Information:
* This topic was discussed on reddit: https://old.reddit.com/r/factorio/comme ... _does_not/
* A somewhat similar topic has been discussed in this ideas and suggestions: viewtopic.php?p=699725&hilit=starter+pack
* EDIT: After submitting i found this additional bug report which fits this report very well: viewtopic.php?p=698810&hilit=starter+pack
Attachments:
Log, Save game
Screenshots:
The space platform expecting to serve the upcoming request, about to click "Add space platform"
- Screenshot 2026-09-28 104942.png (4.41 MiB) Viewed 141 times
The tooltip, saying that it needs a starter pack.
- Screenshot 2026-09-28 104959.png (4.59 MiB) Viewed 141 times
Version, Environment:
- Screenshot 2026-09-28 105033.png (88.88 KiB) Viewed 141 times
