Solid Rocket Port Loader

The Solid Rocket Port Loader is the game entity used to transfer resources between a rocket and the base. It serves as the interface through which materials and cargo are moved on or off a vessel. The only requirement that governs its basic operation is that the Rocket must be landed in order to accept or unload resources; loading and unloading do not occur while the vessel is in flight.

Because loading and unloading require a landed Rocket, all planning around the Solid Rocket Port Loader centers on ensuring an accessible, stable landing site and appropriate logistics on the surface where the Rocket touches down. The loader functions as the transfer point: supplies carried into the game world by a Rocket are deposited through the loader into tiles or storage reachable from the landing pad, and resources intended for launch must arrive at the loader while the Rocket is grounded.

Practical considerations derived from the landing requirement:

• Position landing infrastructure so duplicants or automation can move items to and from the loader without long detours. A clear path to storage, refineries, or production buildings reduces turnaround time for a landed Rocket.
• Reserve space around the landing site for temporary staging of cargo. Since the Rocket must be landed to move goods, staging areas let you assemble payloads before touchdown and collect delivered materials immediately after landing.
• Coordinate scheduling of launches and landings with resource flows. A landed Rocket blocks the loader for the duration of transfer operations, so stagger arrivals and departures to avoid bottlenecks.
• Ensure access for both manual hauling and any conveyor or automation systems you use. The loader acts as the junction between rocket cargo and base logistics; whichever method moves materials should have unobstructed access when the Rocket is landed.
• Design landing pads with room for service and safety. Since transfer only occurs at rest, plan for the Rocket to come to a complete stop on the pad and remain stable while transfers complete.

The central, game-critical rule is simple and decisive: rockets must be landed to load or unload resources. All use, placement, and operational planning for the Solid Rocket Port Loader flows from that constraint.