Starmap Location Sensor

Starmap Location Sensor is an automation building used on rockets to detect whether the associated spacecraft is at a chosen location on the starmap. When the rocket is at a location included in the sensor’s location filter, it outputs a green signal; otherwise, it outputs a red signal. This makes it useful for controlling rocket systems based on destination, landing, or orbital status.

The sensor’s location filter is limited to discovered planetoids and In Space. A planetoid only appears in the filter after it has been observed with a Telescope. In Space covers empty space tiles, POI tiles such as resource fields or demolished rockets, and the orbital band around any discovered planetoid. Because of this, the sensor is especially good for checking whether a rocket has landed on a specific planetoid, but it cannot distinguish between orbit and other space locations on that same planetoid. If the rocket is in orbit around the selected planetoid, the sensor still reads In Space.

Launching to orbit or landing from orbit to the planetoid uses the same amount of fuel as travel across any other hex, but the trip completes much faster. This means the sensor can be paired with rocket automation to detect arrival or departure quickly without waiting for a long transit delay.

Practical notes:

• The filter list only includes discovered planetoids and In Space.
• Use it to confirm that a rocket has reached, or returned from, a particular planet.
• Do not use it to identify a specific space POI, since POIs and orbital space are all grouped under In Space.
• Signal cannot usually be wired directly out of a rocket module.
• A Signal Receiver and Signal Broadcaster can be combined to relay the sensor output to the outside of the rocket.

In general, the Starmap Location Sensor is a simple but important routing tool for late-game rocket automation, especially when managing returns, resupply runs, and planet-specific operations.