Space Biome

The Space Biome is a unique, largely barren biome found on some asteroids. It is defined by an upper Vacuum area and a lower “surface” area that is effectively devoid of native plants, critters, and most resource deposits. The upper region visually opens to space and enforces a harsh environmental effect; the lower region (base or Surface Crags variant) is a temperate room with no native organics or liquids and very limited raw resources. Meteor showers occasionally drop items onto the surface.

The upper Vacuum region applies Space Exposure: affected tiles continuously remove 100 kg of liquid or 100 g of gas per second, creating and maintaining a Vacuum. This makes any exposed liquids or gases disappear unless protected. Intense sunlight from the open sky is present and can be harvested effectively by Solar Panels, but prolonged exposure will cause Sunburn for Duplicants. Background buildings such as Drywall or Tempshift Plate block Space Exposure and prevent the loss of contained liquids and gases, so any liquid/gas systems that must cross the boundary should be built behind such background tiles.

The lower area contains almost no natural resources: base and Surface Crags variants show no Metal, almost no Rock, no Plants, no Critters, and no native Liquids. The biome’s temperature in its base form is mild (approximately 19.85–24.85 °C). Surface Crags is a recognized variant of the Space Biome. Periodic Meteor Showers drop items onto the surface, including Regolith tiles and itemized ores such as Copper Ore, Refined Iron, and Gold Amalgam; these transient deliveries are a primary way to obtain material from the biome without mining rare deposits.

Practical notes and interactions:

• Solar generation: place Solar Panels in the exposed upper area to exploit Intense Light. Ensure Duplicants are shielded from prolonged exposure or routed through background tiles to avoid Sunburn.
• Protect fluids and gases: any storage or piping that passes through exposed tiles must be behind background tiles (Drywall or Tempshift Plate) to stop Space Exposure from destroying liquids/gases.
• Resource acquisition: the Space Biome itself provides little in the way of natural solids, liquids, plants, or critters. Use Meteor Showers to collect material drops and plan to import or produce most resources elsewhere.
• Structural considerations: ruins or spawned structures near biome borders can override Abyssalite in places, providing unexpected passages for heat or small creatures; watch for these when routing heat or when building seals.
• Variants: Surface Crags is a colder-leaning variant noted in world generation; other small-scale variants exist (e.g., Mini variants on other biomes) but the Space Biome’s defining characteristic remains the vacuumed upper region and barren lower surface.
• Starmap and missions: while the Space Biome is a location on asteroids, typical interplanetary mechanics (Telescope reconnaissance, rocket launches, cargo returns) apply to exploration and material transport between asteroids and planetoids.

The Space Biome is best approached as a location optimized for power generation from sunlight and for receiving intermittent meteoric materials, rather than as a source of continuous natural resources or life. Design bases around sealed construction and background tiles; expect to import water, food, and most building materials from other biomes or via missions.