Moon Sweepers Automation Guide
Last updated · based on game version 1.0.4
Automation in one line: turn dust into capsules (Packager, Robot Vacuum dock or Garage), move capsules on conveyor belts to the Depot, and power everything with solar panels placed close by.
Step 1: Packager and your first conveyor line
The Packager is the cheapest way to start. It turns the dust you collect into capsules that ride a conveyor belt back to the Depot, so you stop walking back and forth.
- Buy the Building Tool ($50) and equip it. This unlocks the Logistics menu.
- In Logistics, select the Packager ($100).
- Place it near the area you are cleaning, not next to the Depot.
- Leave clear space behind it, and rotate it so its rear output faces the Depot.
- Lay a conveyor belt ($0.50 per metre, max 30 m per section) from the Packager's output to the Depot's Deposit Intake.
- Place solar panels nearby to power it: fixed panels within 16 m, sun-tracking panels within 34 m.
- Walk up with dust and press E at the "Load Packager" prompt. Check that the Depot registers the payment.
Skip the Packager if you are cleaning right next to the Depot, or if you are about to put a Robot Vacuum in that zone anyway.
Step 2: Robot Vacuums
A Robot Vacuum dock cleans the hexes around it and packs the dust into capsules on a connected conveyor, which you link to the Depot the same way.
| Model | Cost | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Robot Vacuum Mk I | $250 | 19 hexes (2 rings) |
| Robot Vacuum Mk II | $500 | 37 hexes (3 rings) |
Step 3: Vehicles feed belts too
Vehicles park on the Garage's collector pad, and the silo's rear ports send capsules out onto belts. A bigger hopper means fewer trips. See vehicle prices and capacity.
Step 4: J.O.O.N.A.S. (late game)
J.O.O.N.A.S. costs $20,000. It roams the Moon, cleans the nearest dusty hex and launches full capsules toward the nearest Capsule Catcher ($1,500), even when you are far away or offline. Connect the Catcher's output to your conveyor network.
Belts backed up? Three workarounds
There is no conveyor speed upgrade yet, so busy setups can jam. Players have found these fixes:
- Leave a Capsule Catcher unconnected. A Catcher that is not linked to any belt sells the capsules J.O.O.N.A.S. launches into it automatically, so that dust never touches your belts. (Player-reported, confirmed by more than one player.)
- Spread the load. Each Depot intake can only take so much. Split your lines across more intakes and bases instead of merging everything into one.
- Give vehicles their own route. Connect the Garage straight to a sell point so vehicle dust does not share belts with your machines.
Step 5: Processing for more money
Once dust flows in automatically, send some of it to Pressure Chambers (Moon Sand) and Stone Presses (Moonstone), which sell for more than raw dust. Use the Power & Production Planner to size your solar setup.