Guide: Launching Rockets

Getting Started
Before you can launch cargo rockets, you need to have launched a satellite in the satellite rocket (the standard Factorio aka 'vanilla' silo) while Space Exploration is installed.

Once you have build a cargo rocket silo you need to build and fuel your rocket:


 * 100 cargo rocket sections into the inventory. 20 of these will be recovered from the rocket at the destination, more with the right research.
 * 1 space capsule into the inventory. This will always be recovered at the destinations and can return you home from orbit.
 * A lot of liquid rocket fuel, piped into one of the 8 connections near the corners.

You should also have a thruster suit so you don't die.

Your first rocket won't have anywhere to land so it will break up as the cargo is released. Most cargo is saved even if a rocket crashes, you never lose everything.

You should take a Rocket Landing Pad and some Space Platform Scaffold with you so you can build somewhere for the next rocket to land.

Building a Rocket Landing Pad at your base before launching will allow you to easily return directly there instead of ending up in a random location when you return.

Destinations
Once you have a landing pad placed, make sure you update the destination of the rocket silo to target the landing pad and not a random point in orbit. You can do this in-person or via the Satellite Remote View (hotkey 'n'). However, rockets will not launch to a landing pad that contains items, so make sure to empty it.

Basic Automation
The rocket silo outputs signals for how many parts are already in the rocket. You can put a condition on an inserter of [Cargo Rocket Sections < 100] to make sure it won't fill the rocket with additional sections.

If you have set up launch triggers on a silo it will launch automatically, but a rocket won't automatically launch to a landing pad that isn't empty (otherwise the cargo might not fit).

Input Signals
Green signal: Can trigger a launch if the silo is configured to have a trigger that uses the green signal.

Output Signals
E Signal: Empty slots

F Signal: Full slots

L Signal: Liquid rocket fuel required for all potential destinations specified by the destinations setting.

Cargo Rocket Signal: If the rocket is complete (i.e. 1 capsule and 100 rocket sections) then a value of 1 is returned.

Space Capsule Signal: Any capsules used in the rocket construction are added to the count of any capsules in the cargo inventory.

Cargo Rocket Section Signal: Any sections used in the rocket construction are added to the count of any sections in the cargo inventory.

Liquid Rocket Fuel Signal: The total liquid rocket fuel in the silo.