Targeting Beacon

Targeting Beacon is a small microtarget building used to guide where an Interplanetary Payload lands on a planetoid surface. It is a simple but important piece of logistics infrastructure for space deliveries, letting you choose a landing zone instead of accepting a random touchdown point.

To function, a Targeting Beacon must be supplied with power and must itself be exposed to space. Its line of sight cannot be blocked by solid tiles or closed doors. This includes common building tiles such as Airflow Tile, Mesh Tile, and Solar Panel, as well as any closed door. Although Window Tile and Mesh Tile can allow a Telescope’s vision through, they still block a Targeting Beacon. Doors that allow gas to pass through, such as Pneumatic Door, Wicker Door, Security Door, and Gravitas Door, do not block it.

The beacon marks a landing area of 6 tiles: from 3 tiles to its left to 2 tiles to its right. If the beacon is built at the edge of the map, the Interplanetary Payload lands only within the map bounds. When multiple Targeting Beacons exist on the same planetoid, the payload chooses the one that was built first.

A few practical notes make the building easier to use effectively:

• The beacon does not care about ambient temperature and is not damaged by meteor impacts.
• Because it requires open space exposure, it is best placed on an exterior platform or rooftop with a clean vertical path to the sky.
• Since solid blocks in the line of sight prevent it from working, verify that no tiles, closed doors, or other obstructions sit between the beacon and space.
• If you want consistent landings, place the beacon early and avoid building a second one unless you intentionally want to change the preferred landing point.

In practice, the Targeting Beacon is most useful for organizing arrival logistics. A well-placed beacon can keep delivered cargo near storage, a receiving platform, or a transit route, reducing the amount of hauling needed after the payload lands.