Some sattelite ideas,and higher tech alternative to rockets

[Ranakastrasz]

I spent some time thinking on the practical usage you might imagine getting out of getting satellites into orbit. I came up with 2 extra types that might be reasonable.

~As always, All values are arbritrary and can be adjusted or entirely disregarded. Also, all objects that are not interdependent are able to be implemented seperately.


First off, an extra item. The Superconducting Coil. Made with one alien artifact, and 10 copper coil.

Now, a basic satellite, which is then upgraded into whichever satellite you want
Basic Satellite
100 low density structure.
100 solar panels
100 accumulators
100 processing units
50 rocket fuel.

Essentially just the current satellite without the radar. Cannot be launched, but you add onto it before launch.

Spy Satellite.
Basic Satellite
5 radar

On launch, it reveals an area around the launch point equal to 5 times the constant vision range of the radar. It also scans every second like a radar, with a max range 10 times that of the radar's extra range.
With this in orbit, you will easily have high quality vision of your entire base and all the regions around it.


Solar Satellite.
Basic Sattelite.
10 Superconducting Coils
1000 Solar panels.

Additionally, a ground-side receiving station. (size of a rocket silo)
1000 concrete
1000 steel
100 solar panels
10 superconductor coil
100 substations


Each solar satellite launched gives the equivalent of 2000 solar panels, provided from the linked receiving station. This is partly because the atmosphere doesnt get in the way, absorbing some light, but mainly because the altitude lets it get light for more of the day. Essentially, the day part of it's cycle is extended significantly, so it spends far less time producing nothing.


Railgun Satellite.
Basic Satellite
500 accumulator
100 superconductor coil
10 t3 speed modules.
100 Smart inserters.

Railgun Remote
1 Laser turret, 10 processing units.

Railgun shell
100 Steel, 500 Copper.

Railgun Reload Payload
10 Railgun shells, 10 lightweight material.

The Railgun satellite gets launched first. Then a railgun payload must be launched. After that, the railgun satellite has 10 shells.

Using the remote, it acts similar to the current Discharge Defence remote. However, it is targeted, with a range of ~100 tiles. Once activated, there is a 10 second delay, then a shell lands at the target location. It deals 1000 damage in 10 radius, 500 in 20 radius, and 250 in a 30 radius. Half is physical, half is explosive.

Additionally, this will increase the Evolution factor by 0.05 (diminishing) mainly since it will generally be able to entirely class a large cluster of spawners and everything else in the area.
This uses up a single shell, and puts the satellite on a 2 minute cooldown before it recharges and reloads. Additional satellites share a global/team ammo pool, so more satellites can fire faster (although why you would need more than one shell per 2 minutes I am unsure)


A rocket being launched produces 10k-100k pollution on that tile, since everyone knows rockets produce rather excessive amounts of exhaust.
Also, each rocket is both expensive, and uses a lot of fuel.
Hence, the Magnetic Orbital Cannon.

Far more expensive, but cheaper to operate. Technically.

Rocket Silo
200 processing units
10 t3 speed modules
10 t3 efficiency modules
1000 superconducting coil
1000 accumulators.

Requires 10 sets of magnetic orbit launch capsule Parts. Each requires the following.
1 Magnetic stability component (1 basic modular shield generator, 1 superconducting coil)
1 lightweight structure
1 rocket control computer.

To launch, it requires 5 gigajoules, or 5 million kilojoules. This entirely replaces a rocket in function. Each launch is much cheaper. Less material, but it uses a lot of energy. The energy is however FAR less than the amount contained in the equivalent rocket fuel.
Each solid fuel has 25 megajoules of energy. A rocket fuel is 250 MegaJoules of energy. 4 of them is a gigajoule of energy. 20 is 5 megajoules, and each rocket requires 100, among other things.
However, sattelites require fuel to move to the correct orbit and make corrections, so you can't get away with no fuel at all. However, this will generally cut costs significantly.

[deepdriller]

I suggested somewthing like that a while ago...
Orbital base contains your solar satellite idea.
Orbital weaponry contains a variety of weapons; this post was completely ignored.

[PTR2013]

The railgun satellite sounds a bit too OP..

[Ranakastrasz]

The railgun satellite sounds a bit too OP..

Probably, but you didn't take into account the rather ridiculous costs. Rockets are really not cheap, and you need to launch two of them to get your first 10 shots.

[TuckJohn]

I realy like the solar and spy ideas.
Also, next time that you suggest an idea, I would recommend being more ambiguous, as anyone that implements it is not going to be using any recipes suggested by a fan, but rather a recipe that they think is balanced.

[Ranakastrasz]

I realy like the solar and spy ideas.
Also, next time that you suggest an idea, I would recommend being more ambiguous, as anyone that implements it is not going to be using any recipes suggested by a fan, but rather a recipe that they think is balanced.

Oops, forgot my disclaimer.

[Klonan]

I had a thought or launching microwave/laser relay stations into orbit, you would power a ground based laser emitter, outputting to the orbital power network. The laser would be absorbed somewhat going through the atmosphere so you would have an inherent loss of power. Orbital satellites can be beamed power along line of site in the orbit surface, and ground stations can recive microwave/laser electric energy with a receiving dish, with energy output based on the max output of all ground emmiters.

[UberWaffe]

I had a thought or launching microwave/laser relay stations into orbit, you would power a ground based laser emitter, outputting to the orbital power network. The laser would be absorbed somewhat going through the atmosphere so you would have an inherent loss of power. Orbital satellites can be beamed power along line of site in the orbit surface, and ground stations can receive microwave/laser electric energy with a receiving dish, with energy output based on the max output of all ground emmiters.

Long range power transmission via satellite network to create a global power network? Oh yes, please! Please!

Especially if you could have intentional misfires and accidentally confuse that biter base for a valid power receiver and beam several megawatts of microwave energy to that area for about 5 minute.