Launch Pad

The Launch Pad is a sector-to-sector item transfer block used in campaign logistics. When configured to an item, a Launch Pad collects only that single item type and, every 30 seconds, will launch a batch of exactly 100 of that item to another sector where a Landing Pad has been set to the same item. Launch Pads cannot accept other item types while they hold a different item; they will refuse alternate items until emptied. If a Launch Pad reaches its 30‑second firing cooldown but has fewer than 100 of its configured item, it will remain idle and continue accumulating until it contains exactly 100 items, at which point it will launch the batch.

Required inputs (as listed in the block data) are 480/sec and 9/sec. The block’s item storage behaves differently from most other item-capacity blocks: it only stores one item type at a time and enforces exact batch sizes for launches. In non-campaign game modes, any items sent by a Launch Pad are deleted instead of being delivered to a sector.

Practical usage and interactions:

• Always set both the sending Launch Pad and the receiving Landing Pad to the same item; mismatched configuration prevents delivery.
• Because launches require exactly 100 items, provide at least that many in a buffer before the cooldown ends. If a Launch Pad hits its cooldown without 100 items, it will simply wait rather than launch a smaller batch.
• Ensure upstream logistics (conveyors, sorters, or loaders) supply only the configured item to avoid the Launch Pad becoming blocked by unwanted items. The block will reject different item types while holding another item.
• Consider dedicated feeders or filtered routing so that production lines feeding a Launch Pad cannot accidentally jam it with mixed output.
• In campaign play, use a network of Launch Pads and Landing Pads to move bulk resources between sectors for remote base construction or trade; in sandbox or custom modes, be aware that launched items are destroyed and cannot be recovered.
• Monitor the Launch Pad’s fill state rather than relying strictly on the cooldown timer; successful transfers depend on accumulating the full 100-item batch.

The Launch Pad is best used for planned, large transfers of a single resource to other sectors; its single-item storage and exact-batch requirement make it unsuitable for ad-hoc or mixed-resource shipments without prior sorting and buffering.