KEY POINTS

  • Always include an O2/H2 Generator when making space ships
  • Antennas are great for keeping track of a ship's position while in space
  • Don't forget to add thrusters in all directions

One of the main attractions in “Space Engineers” is the ability to build functioning vehicles, from small rovers to the largest of battlecruisers. But this also means that players need to know how to make such vehicles work in the first place.

Those who have established a sustainable base in the game’s survival mode will have to go to space to gather rare materials for high-tech buildings. It may sound like a daunting task at first, but in reality, all one really needs is a small ship. Here’s how to make one.

Important Ship Components

Aesthetically, players can make whatever kind of ship they want. However, there are components needed for a ship to be considered space-worthy.

Building a ship takes more than just sticking a few thrusters into a box. To make a space-worthy ship, players will need the following:

  • Cockpit/Control Seat
  • Hydrogen Thrusters
  • 1x Large Hydrogen Thruster
  • Conveyors
  • O2/H2 Generator
  • Hydrogen Tank
  • Batteries
  • Landing Gear
  • Gyro
  • Antenna
  • Medium Cargo Container
  • Connector
A small, barebones ship capable of space travel in Space Engineers
A small, barebones ship capable of space travel in Space Engineers Space Engineers

The first order of business is to set up a ship layout that includes the batteries and the O2/H2 Generator connected to a medium container. This will keep oxygen flowing inside the cockpit granted that there’s enough ice in the generator.

Next, add conveyors to the small access ports on the Medium Cargo Container. These will act as pipes that will load fuel into the ship’s Hydrogen Thrusters. Make sure to add at least two thrusters in every cardinal direction, including the top and bottom of the ship, to act as brakes. Also, don’t forget to add a Gyro to control the ship’s pitch and yaw.

Fuel Management Tips

Managing fuel is arguably the hardest part of building a surface-to-space ship. Players will need plenty of ice and a large-enough fuel tank to allow for atmospheric exit and re-entry. Using too many fuel tanks will make the ship too heavy, but using only one may not be enough for a two-way trip.

To remedy this, consider adding Atmospheric Thrusters to the ship design. These thrusters won’t work in space, but they can help get players just outside of the atmosphere without consuming precious hydrogen fuel.

When exploring space, try turning off Inertia Dampeners to save fuel. The lack of gravity also means that players can turn off their hydrogen engines while traveling without using any fuel.

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