Moon / Planet and Asteroid Mining Guide

A step by step guide to setting up scanning satellites to mining asteroids, moons and planets.

Unlocking the Research

Before we start an asteroid or extraterrestrial mining operation it is important to unlock the key parts and understand what they do. There are several parts that are utilized for Mining.

• Surface Scanning Module
  The Surface Scanning Module is a critical part in surveying a planet or moon. You will use this part to find the exact ore concentrations on the ground.

• M700 Survey Scanner
  The M700 Survey Scanner is a critical part in setting up a mining satellite. You will use this part to survey a planet or moon in order to find general ore concentrations.

• ISRU Converter
  The ISRU Converter is a critical part in setting up a refinery. You will use this part to convert ore into fuel.

• 'Drill-O-Matic' Mining Excavator
  The 'Drill-O-Matic' Mining Excavator is a critical part in setting up a mining operation. Obviously you will use this part to mine ore.

• Small Holding Tank
  The Small Holding Tank is a part in setting up a mining operation. Obviously you will use this part to store ore.

• Large Holding Tank
  The Large Holding Tank is a part in setting up a mining operation. Obviously you will use this part to store ore.

• M4435 Narrow-Band Scanner
  The M4435 Narrow-Band Scanner is an optional part in surveying a planet or moon. This part will allow you to see a narrow swath of land with higher detail than the Survey Scanner.

Scanning for Ore Concentrations (Moons and Planets)

Step 1. Setup an ore concentration scanning satellite.

A scanning sallite will need to be constructed around the planet or moon that you intend to mine, if you're mining an asteroid skip this part. Ore concentrations are procedurally generated for each save file, so where there might be a hotspot in one save, there may not be in the next.

The satellite will need;

• M700 Survey Scanner
  
• Any Antenna
  
• A Control Module (Probably probe, but you could do it manned)
  
• Power Generation*
  
• Power Storage*
  
• Xenon Fuel and Engines**
  
• Small Inline Reaction Wheel**
  
• M4435 Narrow-Band Scanner**

*You can get away with having just either power generation or a lot of power stored in batteries. When you first use the M700 Survey Scanner it will transfer the scans back to Kerbin which takes a lot of power.

**These are nice things to have on a scanning satellite, but by no means required.



Step 2. Launch the scanning satellite into POLAR orbit around the moon/planet you intend to mine.

A polar orbit of 25000m* to 1,500,000m* is required to use the M700 scanner.

A POLAR orbit is required in order to properly scan the moon or planet you intend to mine. Usually in KSP we setup equatorial orbits, so I am stressing that the orbit needs to be polar for a very specific reason. If you accidentally setup an equatorial orbit it will take a lot of Δv to fix.

*These may vary on very small or very large objects like Jool or Minmus, but generally speaking a 50,000 to 100,000 orbit will do just fine.



Step 3. Use the satellite to determine a high concentration of ore.

Once you have scanned the moon or planet and transfered the data back to Kerbin (you'll get 10 science) you'll be able to overlay ore concentration onto the moon or planet you scanned. You can setup the overlay from the satellite or from the Tracking Station.

Step3a - From the satellite
From the satellite right click the M700 Survey Scanner and select 'Toggle Overlay'. When you enter the map mode you'll see the moon/planet you scanned with an ore concentration overlay now. You can adjust your M700 Survey Scanner to hone in on a good mining operation location.

Use Cutoff+ to raise the minimum ore concentration in order for the overlay to display. Basically you want to keep raising this percentage until there's no overlay left, then use Cutoff- just once and all of the terrain highlighted will be the highest concentration locations.

Step3b. - From the tracking station
First, focus on the body you just scanned. On the right panel of your screen where the Info and Orbit icons are there will be a new icon for Resources. Click the button and then select Resources -> Ore. The setup here on out is the same as it was on the satellite, use cutoff+ to find the highest concentration possible.

Surface Scan with a Rover (Optional)

This part is a little optional, you can setup a base from the M700 Survey Scan, but that scan only tells you generally what concentrations of resources will be in an area. On the surface, concentrations will vary by a few percentage points. In order to find the most ideal location for a mining base, I suggest using a rover with a surface scanner.

You'll want somewhere fairly flat, trying to land a giant mining base on slopes is going to be tricky. The slopes will also block direct sunlight, so if you're in the inner solar system you want as much sunshine as possible. (This patch also made it so any moon/planet past Dres has really bad solar power generation)

You'll want something close to the equator. It'll be easier to land/take off from and it'll have longer days than if you setup on the poles.

You can setup your rover to also double as a fuel tanker. Setup the rover so it has a docking bay that can couple with your mining base. If you then design and build ships that can dock with your rover you can export the ore or fuel from the surface.

Attached is a picture of my fuel rover.

Mining a Moon or Planet

Once you've picked out a specific location for a mining base it's time to set it up! This guide assumes you know how to land, orbit, etc and I don't want to tell you exactly what to design and setup, but here is some tips and ideas.

• Make sure your drills are attached to a HIGH mass object like a giant fuel tank. Drills will produce heat and when they're attached to high mass objects, the high mass objects help to absorb a lot of that heat efficiently.
  
  
• Attach solar panels or wings to the high mass object / fuel tank your drills are attached to. They'll act as passive radiators, dissipating heat away from your drills.
  
  
• Setup your mining drill so that it has a pilotable command module for an engineer. Engineers also help to manage and dissipate heat from the drills.
  
  
• Set up your mining base so it can be docked with in some way, otherwise all the ore and fuel you're producing will likely go to waste.
  
  
• Bring a lot of batteries or fuel cells. If you want your drills and ISRU to run continuously you'll need to supply it with a lot of power. Solar generation is great, but when it is night time on the planet or moon you're on, you'll need batteries or fuel cells to keep it going.
  
  
• Think about setting up a mining base that is coupled with a fuel rover. You can use the fuel rover to dock with landing vessels to refuel them, or to use a reusable vessel to transport the fuel to an orbital station. You can also an Advanced Grabbing Unit to transfer fuel or other resources, you aren't restricted to just docking ports.
  
  
• Make sure to have storage for all the types of fuel you'll want to produce. The ISRU can make MonoProp, Liquid and Oxidizer. If you don't have a tank for MonoProp, for instance, you won't be able to produce it. With that in mind also make sure your fuel rover has storage for all types too.

Here's a little screenshot of the first Mining Base I setup if that helps you.

Mining an Asteroid

Every asteroid will have a certain mass and ore concentration. Mining an asteroid is very much like mining a planet or moon. You won't need a scanner to determine ore concentration, you'll just need to be either close to the asteroid, or own it. You'll need drills, ISRU, heat management and power management. Keep in mind a few VERY important things.

• Asteroid mass is limited. This means you can deplete an asteroid of ore.
  
• Asteroids come with their own ore concentrations, meaning a 95% Class B asteroid can have more ore than a 50% Class C asteroid.
  
• Asteroids vary in mass within their own class. For instance a Class C asteroid could be 42.5 tons or 190.6 be.
  
• Low mass asteroids are probably not going to be worth setting up a fuel station on, as they will deplete after only a few thousand ore.
  
• Turn off your drills when your ore tanks are full. The drills will keep depleting the asteroid even if you have nowhere to put the ore.

Here's a screenshot of a Class A 95% concentration asteroid I landed at KSP.

Refueling Interplanetary Missions

These tips and ideas aren't needed for mining, but I thought I would share them. Using this method, or a variation of this method will greatly help you in the long run. Free fuel outside the orbit of Kerbin can be truly priceless.

• The Mining Base Set up a fuel resupply system on low gravity moons like Pol, Gilly or Minmus. Design, deploy and construct a mining base on one of these low mass moons that is able to dock with a rover that can hold all types of fuel and ore (holding ore because sometimes you get missions to extract ore from satellite X). It doesn't hurt to add some science to the base too, because occasionally you'll get missons like 'science from surface of X' and if your base has an antenna and something that can generate science, its a free contract.
  
  
• The Fuel Rover Just like your mining base, your fuel rover should be able to dock with the base and also dock with a refuel ship. Add a surface scanning module to the rover and use it to also survey the high ore concentration spots before you even setup your base.
  
  
• The Refuel Ship Design an easy to fly refuel ship that can hold ore and all fuels that can be docked to both the fuel rover and a space station. This ship should also have decent RCS, as you'll be docking this craft often.
  
  
• The Orbital Station Setup an orbital fuel station around the low gravity moon that can also hold all fuels, ore, etc. It doesn't hurt to add some science to the station too, because occasionally you'll get missions to transmit science and you can instantly accomplish the contract if your station has science and an antenna. Your station should also be well illuminated so you're able to dock with it easily.

The purpose of all four of these costly investments and endeavours is you'll be able to refuel interplanetary missions, making all future launches cheaper and easier. Win!

[TheLambSauce]

Thank you so much, great guide!

[Windaisy]

i have like 400 hrs and still needed this

[Aismantuga]

Good work.

[SirBewby]

im a seasoned KSP player and i really enjoyed reading this, i wish i had seen this when i had started! very well done and straight to the point. the creativity of the crafts is up to the user and i enjoyed that you didnt push specific craft designs, rather the systems that go along with the operation/mission. Good Job! love to see another one!

[dave.madorsky]

@Rhadamant: great guide, just what I needed to get started! Clear, concise, and easy to read. Well done!

@vicandrei16: how to land on a moon or planet: practice practice practice. Or use MechJeb2.

@NA has all the NAggers: aligning docking ports when you can only work in two dimensions on the surface is definitely a problem. I solved it by putting an AGU at the end of a series of pistons and hinges, and placing the assembly on the fuel rover. By tying their motion to various RCS controls I created an arm that I could manipulate - move the rover to near the mining base, hook up with the AGU, suck out the LF/Ox/Monoprop, then release the AGU. Reverse after moving to the refueling ship.

[Rhadamant]

@vicandrei16 I have a YouTube Series on the game if you want to watch it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=932b7QM6Kek&list=PLHqSuWJSw8SDLWbCT34X_xhmoLaOz7zNo

[vicandrei16]

yeah,but how do i land on those planets

[leon james]

PC Sep 6, 2017 @ 7:48am
How to align the fucin docks between rover and ship???????????????????????????永远做不到让车子和矿船对齐 恶心 x2

[The Rocketsmith]

@ PC
While this is not the best way to dock, I just continually spin the vessel, then ram the docking ports together until it works. Reloading old saves is key to my method, but again my method is horribly inefficient. Hope this helps!

虽然这不是最佳的停靠方式，但我只是不断旋转船只，然后将停靠端口撞在一起直到工作。 重新加载旧的保存是我的方法的关键，但是我的方法仍然非常低效。 希望这可以帮助！

[plr]

Awesome guide, thx