Science & progression
Technology Tree
The technology tree is four levels deep across seven infrastructure/science categories. Each node costs Research Points and may apply global effects, one-time cash effects, or unlock optional building upgrades.
Operations
Level 1 · 30 RP
Improved Operations
Unlocks the Research Directive screen and basic nightly scheduling presets
Effects
- Cash
- plus $150,000 cash
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 5% RO/day during seeing windows
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 5% Disc/mo
- Upkeep/day
- minus 5% upkeep/day per upgraded building
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 2 · 60 RP
Advanced Operations
Adds directive scheduling presets and cloud-gap observing logic
Effects
- Cash
- plus $300k one time infusion
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 10% RO/day
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 5% Disc/mo after research directives set
- Upkeep/day
- minus up to 10% with fully staffed ops bldg
- Payroll/day
- minus 10% payroll/day
- Income/day
- plus 5% income/day on income producing bldgs
- Grant chances
- plus 10% after grant writer hire
- Grant payout
- plus 10% after grant writer hire
- Contract chances
- plus 10% if basic requirements met
- Contract payout
- plus 10% on all milestone payouts
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 3 · 120 RP
Expert Operations
Unlocks automated nightly plans, project queues, and cloud-gap rescheduling
Effects
- Cash
- plus 750k one time infusion
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 15% RO/day
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 15% Disc/mo after directives set
- Upkeep/day
- minus up to 15% with automated ops
- Payroll/day
- minus 12% payroll/day
- Income/day
- plus 8% income/day on income producing bldgs
- Grant chances
- plus 15% after grant writer hire
- Grant payout
- plus 15% after grant writer hire
- Contract chances
- plus 15% if advanced requirements met
- Contract payout
- plus 15% on all milestone payouts
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 4 · 240 RP
Autonomous Operations
Unlocks largely unattended remote operations, automatic safe shutdown, and prestige collaboration scheduling
Effects
- Cash
- plus 1.0M one time infusion
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 20% RO/day
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 20% Disc/mo after directives set
- Upkeep/day
- minus up to 20% with autonomous ops
- Payroll/day
- minus 15% payroll/day
- Income/day
- plus 10% income/day on income producing bldgs
- Grant chances
- plus 20% after grant writer hire
- Grant payout
- plus 20% after grant writer hire
- Contract chances
- plus 20% if elite requirements met
- Contract payout
- plus 20% on all milestone payouts
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Telescope Facility (TF)
Level 1 · 30 RP
Improved Telescopes
Can upgrade TF bldgs for low cost remote hosting and basic optical improvements
Optional facility upgrade · $25,000
Effects
- Cash
- minus $25k one time for development costs
- Research output/day (RO)
- minus 1% RO/day
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- Upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- plus $250 income bonus/day per upgraded building
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 2 · 60 RP
Advanced Telescopes
Can upgrade TF bldgs for high-speed tracking mounts. Can apply for NEO government contracts
Optional facility upgrade · $75,000
Effects
- Cash
- minus 150k one time for development costs
- Research output/day (RO)
- minus 1% RO/day on upgraded bldgs
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- minus 1% Disc/mo per upgraded bldg
- Upkeep/day
- plus 5% upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- plus 2% payroll/day
- Income/day
- plus $450 income/day per bldg with NEO government contract
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 3 · 120 RP
Precision Telescope Systems
Can upgrade TF bldgs with precision tracking, adaptive optics, and modular instrument bays
Optional facility upgrade · $150,000
Effects
- Cash
- minus 300k one time for development costs
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 5% RO/day on upgraded bldgs
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 15% Disc/mo for optical/spectroscopy/exoplanet directives
- Upkeep/day
- plus 8% upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- plus 3% payroll/day
- Income/day
- plus $700 income/day per bldg with precision contract
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- plus 10% if NEO/exoplanet/spectroscopy requirements met
- Contract payout
- plus 10% on precision contract payouts
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 4 · 240 RP
Elite Telescope Systems
Can upgrade TF bldgs with elite adaptive optics, high-speed readout, and advanced infrared/spectroscopy support
Optional facility upgrade · $250,000
Effects
- Cash
- minus 500k one time for development costs
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 10% RO/day on upgraded bldgs
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 25% Disc/mo for precision/infrared/spectroscopy directives
- Upkeep/day
- plus 10% upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- plus 4% payroll/day
- Income/day
- plus $1,000 income/day per bldg with elite contract
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- plus 20% if elite science requirements met
- Contract payout
- plus 20% on elite contract payouts
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Science
Level 1 · 30 RP
Improved Science
Can upgrade Data Reduction Cabin to use GPU processing; unlocks Rank 1 science directives
Optional facility upgrade · $25,000
Effects
- Cash
- minus 75k one time for development costs
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 10% research output per day on upgraded bldgs
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- Upkeep/day
- plus 1% upkeep per day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 2 · 60 RP
Advanced Science
Can upgrade Data Reduction Cabin to use AI models; unlocks Rank 2 science directives
Optional facility upgrade · $75,000
Effects
- Cash
- minus 200k one time for development costs
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 20% RO/day on upgraded bldgs
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 10% Disc/mo after research directives set
- Upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 3 · 120 RP
Specialized Science
Unlocks spectroscopy workflows, exoplanet follow-up, infrared calibration, and Rank 3 directives
Effects
- Cash
- minus 350k one time for development costs
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 30% RO/day on upgraded bldgs
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 15% Disc/mo after directives set
- Upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- plus 5% income/day from data products
- Grant chances
- plus 15% after grant writer hire
- Grant payout
- plus 15% after grant writer hire
- Contract chances
- plus 15% if requirements met
- Contract payout
- plus 15% on science milestone payouts
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 4 · 240 RP
Breakthrough Science
Unlocks AI anomaly detection, deep-field campaigns, cosmology projects, and Rank 4 directives
Effects
- Cash
- minus 500k one time for development costs
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 40% RO/day on upgraded bldgs
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 25% Disc/mo after directives set
- Upkeep/day
- plus 5% upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- plus 1% payroll/day
- Income/day
- plus 10% income/day from premium data products
- Grant chances
- plus 25% after grant writer hire
- Grant payout
- plus 25% after grant writer hire
- Contract chances
- plus 25% if requirements met
- Contract payout
- plus 25% on science milestone payouts
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Site Monitoring
Level 1 · 30 RP
Early Warning
Can upgrade Weather Station for alert-only weather data; weather bar begins showing live values
Optional facility upgrade · $25,000
Effects
- Cash
- Research output/day (RO)
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- Upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- minus 5% degradation per day
- Inclement weather dmg
- minus 5% damage from inclement weather
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 2 · 60 RP
Weather Forecasting
Weather Station forecasts cloud cover, seeing, wind, and humidity for the next night
Effects
- Cash
- Research output/day (RO)
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- Upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- minus 10% degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- minus 10% dmg from inclement weather
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 3 · 120 RP
Predictive Site Monitoring
Adds seeing forecast models, humidity control warnings, wind load monitoring, and microclimate placement bonuses
Effects
- Cash
- minus 75k one time for station upgrades
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 5% RO/day when forecast is active
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 5% Disc/mo from better seeing windows
- Upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- minus 20% degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- minus 20% dmg from inclement weather
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 4 · 240 RP
Observatory Forecast Network
Adds nowcasting, full microclimate map, weather-risk automation, and project-specific observing windows
Effects
- Cash
- minus 150k one time for network upgrades
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 10% RO/day from optimized windows
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 10% Disc/mo from optimized seeing windows
- Upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- minus 30% degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- minus 30% dmg from inclement weather
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Power
Level 1 · 30 RP
Efficient Power Grid
Can upgrade Solar Plant to use bi-facial solar panels; wire distance loss becomes visible
Optional facility upgrade · $10,000
Effects
- Power output
- plus 20% power output per upgraded bldg
- Power efficiency
- plus 20% efficiency across power grid
Level 2 · 60 RP
Advanced Power Grid
Can upgrade Solar Plant with advanced batteries; improves stability during inclement weather and night time
Optional facility upgrade · $75,000
Effects
- Cash
- minus 20k per upgrade per bldg
- Research output/day (RO)
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- Upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- plus 10% power output per upgraded bldg
- Power efficiency
- plus 30% efficiency across power grid
Level 3 · 120 RP
Smart Power Network
Unlocks smart load balancing, wire-loss reduction, and battery charge scheduling
Effects
- Cash
- minus 30k per upgrade per bldg
- Research output/day (RO)
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- Upkeep/day
- plus 3% upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- minus 10% grid fault chance in storms
- Power output
- plus 15% power output per upgraded bldg
- Power efficiency
- plus 40% efficiency across power grid
Level 4 · 240 RP
Resilient Power Grid
Unlocks resilient microgrid, autonomous load shedding, high-capacity storage, and efficient red-light network
Effects
- Cash
- minus 50k per upgrade per bldg
- Research output/day (RO)
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- Upkeep/day
- plus 5% upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- minus 25% grid fault chance in storms
- Power output
- plus 20% power output per upgraded bldg
- Power efficiency
- plus 50% efficiency across power grid
Staff
Level 1 · 30 RP
Improved Hiring
Min req 1.0 RO/day
Effects
- Cash
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 1% RO/day per employee
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 1% Disc/mo per employee
- Upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- minus 5% payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- plus 5% improvement to grant chance
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- plus 5% improvement to contract chance
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 2 · 60 RP
Effective Hiring
Min req 2.0 RO/day
Effects
- Cash
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 4% RO/day per employee
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 4% Disc/mo per employee
- Upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- minus 5% payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- plus 10% improvement to grant chance
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- plus 10% improvement to contract chance
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
- plus 10% efficiency across power grid
Level 3 · 120 RP
Specialist Staffing
Unlocks trained specialists: instrument tech, data scientist, grant writer, and senior operator
Effects
- Cash
- minus 25k per specialist training
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 6% RO/day per specialist
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 6% Disc/mo per specialist
- Upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- minus 7% payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- plus 15% improvement to grant chance
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- plus 15% improvement to contract chance
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
- plus 15% efficiency across power grid
Level 4 · 240 RP
Leadership & Specialists
Unlocks senior researchers and cross-trained crews for multi-building bonuses
Effects
- Cash
- minus 40k per senior training
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 8% RO/day per senior specialist
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- plus 8% Disc/mo per senior specialist
- Upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- minus 10% payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- plus 20% improvement to grant chance
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- plus 20% improvement to contract chance
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
- plus 20% efficiency across power grid
Logistics
Level 1 · 30 RP
Improved Maintenance
Maintenance Workshop req
Effects
- Cash
- Research output/day (RO)
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- Upkeep/day
- minus 10% upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- minus 50% bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- minus 50% weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 2 · 60 RP
Effective Maintenance
Decreases one-time bldg repair costs by 50%
Effects
- Cash
- Research output/day (RO)
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- Upkeep/day
- minus 15% upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- minus 75% bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- minus 75% weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
Level 3 · 120 RP
Preventive Logistics
Adds preventive maintenance plans, spare-part staging, and reduced downtime after failures
Effects
- Cash
- minus 100k one time for parts inventory
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 2% RO/day from improved uptime
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- Upkeep/day
- minus 20% upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- minus 85% bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- minus 85% weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
- plus 10% efficiency across power grid
Level 4 · 240 RP
Reliability Engineering
Adds condition-based maintenance, rapid repair protocols, and automated spare-part requests
Effects
- Cash
- minus 150k one time for reliability program
- Research output/day (RO)
- plus 5% RO/day from improved uptime
- Discoveries/mo (Disc/mo)
- Upkeep/day
- minus 25% upkeep/day
- Payroll/day
- Income/day
- Grant chances
- Grant payout
- Contract chances
- Contract payout
- Bldg degradation/day
- minus 90% bldg degradation/day
- Inclement weather dmg
- minus 90% weather dmg
- Power output
- Power efficiency
- plus 15% efficiency across power grid