Space Age Planet Order
The commonly recommended first-playthrough planet order, why Vulcanus goes first, and why Aquilo is saved for last.
At a glance
| Recommended order | Vulcanus, then Fulgora, then Gleba, then Aquilo. |
| Why Vulcanus first | Its Foundry casts metal from free lava, which dramatically cheapens iron and copper back on Nauvis. |
| Why Aquilo last | It needs the most prior infrastructure and gates the endgame. |
You reach the planets only after launching your first rocket and building a space platform. Each planet has unique resources, a signature building, and one science pack.
The recommended path
| Order | Planet | Why go | Signature building |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vulcanus | Foundry cheapens all iron and copper | Foundry, Big mining drill |
| 2 | Fulgora | Scrap recycling and holmium | Electromagnetic plant, Recycler |
| 3 | Gleba | Biological tech and agricultural science | Biochamber |
| 4 | Aquilo | Cryogenic tech, gates the endgame | Cryogenic plant |
Do this in order
- Launch a rocket from Nauvis and build a space platform with thrusters.
- Fly to Vulcanus first. Stand up Foundry production and ship the savings back to Nauvis.
- Go to Fulgora for the Electromagnetic plant and scrap-based components.
- Take on Gleba next. Its spoilage mechanic overturns the build-and-forget habit, so expect a rethink.
- Save Aquilo for last, once you have cryogenic plants, heating, and fusion power ready.
- From Aquilo, push toward the solar system edge for the Space Age victory.
Watch out for
- Rushing Aquilo before you have cryogenic and heating infrastructure. Buildings freeze and stop without adjacent heat.
- Treating Gleba like a build-and-forget planet. Spoilage demands constant throughput.
- Departing a platform from Nauvis orbit undefended. Larger asteroids appear once you leave, and they will damage an unarmed platform.
Related: the deep Space Age Planets guide and The Science Pack Ladder.