Orbits Explained

[Patriot]

Can someone explain the point of the different orbits and what interface means? My guess is it means you'll interface with the planet from there, but what does that mean.

Low Orbit:
Medium Orbit:
High Orbit:
Extreme Orbit:
Synchronous Orbit:
Interface:

[Lakel]

some station modules either only work, or offer bonuses in interface orbits, such as the science ones.

Far as the individual orbits, the higher orbit you start off at, the less energy/fuel/Dv/Kps is required to break orbit and transfer. That plus if one orbit is absolutely strewn with debris you can set up shop away from it.

[Badger BrownCoat]

Originally posted by Patriot:

Can someone explain the point of the different orbits and what interface means? My guess is it means you'll interface with the planet from there, but what does that mean.

what he said- but also if you're seeing the "orbits" the interface icon; those arethe available spots a base in those will give you ( benefit x y z ) - some of them are pretty handy,
i don't like spoilers; i will say tho-- notice skunkworks doesn't require an interface. all i can say LOL .
you'vbe got this, no prob

[Eltoron]

You need to be on interface orbit to perform any interaction with orbital body. Most of orbital labs has at least one bonus working on interface orbit. You can perform orbital bombardment, found outpost or assault settlements (for example on Luna or Mars) only from interface orbit. Aliens have several special missions working only from interface orbits such as landing armies or agents or surveillance.

As for number of orbits:
Higher orbits provide you cheaper interplanetary transfer since you don't need spend dV to climb from Earth gravity well. Also each battle leaves a cloud of dangerous space junk on orbit. So you may want to use another orbit after several battles to keep your stations safe early game when you have not enough defence. Also the number of orbits provide you a space to maneuver. It's much cheaper to descend from high orbit to the lower one. So you may want to keep your non interface assets, especially interplanetary shipyard as high as possible. But low enough to have time to descend and protect your loworbit stations.
This all is more important early-mid game and became less relevant later when you get powerful engines.

[Patriot]

Thanks everyone. It's a still a bit complicated to me, but I do have a better understanding. I appreciate the information!

[wei270]

and some orbits have antimatter you can collect

[Zuul]

Since I don’t see anyone specifically mentioning it…

When you look at each orbit, you’ll see a specific acceleration speed listed. If a ship has a higher acceleration than the number listed, it can basically just point it’s backside at the gravity source and burn away quickly. If it has an acceleration “less than” the number listed, it instead has to accelerate roughly along the current direction of travel and spiral up more slowly.

Long story short, transfer orders take more time if the ship has to spiral up out of the gravity well.

[ZippyTheWonderMoonrat]

I'm not 100% on this topic but I think the short form key that you should build a platform in the interface orbit with all the things that get bonuses for that, such as Labs, and a second space station in the outermost orbit that has your space dock or supply station on it.

[corisai]

Originally posted by Eltoron:

So you may want to keep your non interface assets, especially interplanetary shipyard as high as possible. But low enough to have time to descend and protect your loworbit stations.

Not efficient way as it will cost ~3-6k dV to move to LEO1 from High EO. Now I prefer to make a refuel base with a single shipyard (for repairs) to support my LEO defense fleet (<0.5 dV to move around LEO1).

[Dumhed]

What about interface orbits around other planets? Are the lab bonuses useful later in the game? Or does those only apply to interface around earth where you have nations?

[corisai]

Originally posted by Dumhed:

What about interface orbits around other planets? Are the lab bonuses useful later in the game? Or does those only apply to interface around earth where you have nations?

Extra bonus of lab is working only on Earth interface orbit. Some of them are still useful for late game & you want lab main bonus to research anyway.

Interface orbits of other planet&bodies allow to interract with local mines - bombard them, invide by marines, transfer councilor here.

[Patriot]

Just going to bump this in case there's any new information out there.

[marten_fierce]

What about the inclined orbits?
Are there any advantages or disadvantages when building in them? Since they are not interface orbits, I assume they are good only for construction or space dock modules.

[corisai]

Originally posted by marten_fierce:

What about the inclined orbits?
Are there any advantages or disadvantages when building in them?

Disadvantages : a lot of dV to come back on "normal" orbit. So they're a some kind of trap for early Earth defense.

No advantages.

[Patriot]

What about synchronous orbits?

[gimmethegepgun]

Originally posted by Patriot:

What about synchronous orbits?

There's no benefit related to being synchronous, so only the advantages and disadvantages associated with its orbital height relative to the other orbits.