- Plan B: Terraform space elevator cable is a construction material for the Space Elevator.
- Factory production uses Carbon Nano Tube and Aluminum Bar according to the listed recipe.
- Production cycle creates three cables every 10 days, or 30 per year.
- Delivery target is the Space Elevator Base, where cable becomes part of the finished structure.
- Best approach is to secure advanced materials before committing factory capacity.
Plan B: Terraform Space Elevator Cable Overview
Plan B: Terraform space elevator cable is a specialized Construction Materials resource used to build the Space Elevator. It is not a general-purpose material for roads, factories, or transport networks. Once produced, each batch must be delivered to the Space Elevator Base, the construction point connected to the final Space Elevator project.
The item is listed under the broader Resources category and the more specific Construction Materials subcategory. Its resource ID is spaceliftCable, which can help distinguish it from other construction inputs when reviewing internal data, production chains, or item references.
The official wiki entry identifies the cable as a factory-made product. The displayed production cycle uses 3 Carbon Nano Tubes and 1 Aluminum Bar to create 3 Space Elevator Cables over 10 days. Because the construction requirement is large, the cable should be treated as a long-term industrial project rather than a one-off crafting task.
Reference: Space Elevator Cable on the official Plan B: Terraform Wiki
| Property | Details |
|---|---|
| Category | Resources |
| Subcategory | Construction Materials |
| Resource ID | spaceliftCable |
| Production building | Factory |
| Main use | Space Elevator construction |
| Delivery destination | Space Elevator Base |
Factory Product
The cable is produced in a Factory, not directly at the Space Elevator Base.
Advanced Inputs
Production depends on Carbon Nano Tube and Aluminum Bar, so the supply chain should be prepared first.
Project Material
The finished cable must be delivered to the Space Elevator Base for construction.
Treat Space Elevator Cable as a project stockpile. Stabilize Carbon Nano Tube and Aluminum Bar production before assigning multiple factories to cable manufacturing.
How to Make Space Elevator Cable
The listed recipe is straightforward, but its inputs are not basic starter materials. A Factory consumes 3 Carbon Nano Tubes and 1 Aluminum Bar to produce 3 Space Elevator Cables. The displayed cycle lasts 10 days, which produces a listed annual rate of 30 cables per year for one production line.
The source page includes an image label that refers to a Polymer Bar while the recipe row identifies Aluminum Bar as the input. For practical planning, use the named recipe row as the clearest production reference: Carbon Nano Tube plus Aluminum Bar. Confirm the material labels in your current game interface if the displayed production screen differs.
| Input | Quantity per cycle | Output | Cycle duration | Listed annual output |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon Nano Tube | 3 | 3 Space Elevator Cables | 10 days | 30 cables |
| Aluminum Bar | 1 | 3 Space Elevator Cables | 10 days | 30 cables |
Secure the Factory
Build or assign a Factory capable of producing advanced construction materials. Keep its input connections clear so both required materials can arrive consistently.
Provide Carbon Nano Tubes
Route 3 Carbon Nano Tubes per production cycle into the Factory. Interruptions in this input will reduce cable output even when Aluminum Bars are available.
Provide Aluminum Bars
Supply 1 Aluminum Bar per cycle using the recipe listed for Space Elevator Cable. Review the factory panel before starting the queue if your interface uses different item labels.
Run the Production Cycle
Allow the Factory to complete its 10-day cycle, producing 3 Space Elevator Cables. Repeat the process until the construction stockpile is ready.
Move the Finished Cable
Deliver the completed cable to the Space Elevator Base. Manufacturing alone does not complete the Space Elevator requirement.
| Production factor | Recommended preparation |
|---|---|
| Factory access | Reserve a reliable Factory for the project |
| Carbon Nano Tube flow | Maintain a steady supply for repeated cycles |
| Aluminum Bar flow | Keep at least one dependable input route active |
| Storage | Use nearby capacity to prevent production blockage |
| Delivery | Connect transport from the Factory to the Space Elevator Base |
A full storage area can stop the Factory even when its input materials are available. Keep the cable output moving toward storage or the Space Elevator Base.
Space Elevator Construction Requirements
The Space Elevator Cable is valuable because it feeds a single major project: the Space Elevator. The construction table lists two separate cable inputs of 500 cables each, for a combined requirement of 1,000 Space Elevator Cables. The listed construction duration is 100 days, with a displayed annual rate of 3 for the finished Space Elevator project.
This requirement makes production scale important. One Factory produces 3 cables per 10-day cycle, or 30 cables per year according to the source entry. At that listed rate, a single production line represents a gradual contribution to a much larger construction target.
| Construction input | Listed amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Space Elevator Cable input 1 | 500 | First listed construction requirement |
| Space Elevator Cable input 2 | 500 | Second listed construction requirement |
| Combined cable requirement | 1,000 | Total shown across both inputs |
| Construction duration | 100 days | Listed Space Elevator build time |
| Finished project | 1 Space Elevator | Built at the Space Elevator Base |
The cable should therefore be managed as a strategic infrastructure resource. Do not spread the material across unrelated projects, because the available construction entry identifies the Space Elevator as its listed use.
| Project stage | Main objective | Common bottleneck |
|---|---|---|
| Material preparation | Produce Carbon Nano Tube and Aluminum Bar | Advanced input availability |
| Cable manufacturing | Convert inputs in a Factory | Factory capacity and cycle time |
| Cable logistics | Deliver cable to the base | Transport distance and storage |
| Final construction | Supply the Space Elevator Base | Large cable stockpile |
| Completion | Finish the Space Elevator | Long construction duration |
Once the Space Elevator Base has access to the required cable stockpile, the most important material phase is complete. Keep production and transport running until the full listed requirement is delivered.
Best Production and Logistics Setup
A reliable cable operation has three connected layers: input production, factory manufacturing, and project delivery. The best setup is not necessarily the largest one. It is the setup that avoids long interruptions and keeps each part of the chain supplied.
Start by checking whether Carbon Nano Tube and Aluminum Bar are produced close enough to the Factory to support regular deliveries. If the materials travel through several transport stages, use storage buffers between major steps. This gives the cable Factory time to continue working when an upstream shipment arrives slightly late.
Input Buffer
Store Carbon Nano Tube and Aluminum Bar near the Factory to reduce downtime caused by uneven deliveries.
Dedicated Factory
Assign a Factory to cable production when the Space Elevator becomes a priority construction project.
Output Storage
Keep a controlled buffer for completed cables so production does not stop when the base is temporarily full or distant.
Direct Delivery
Use a dependable transport route from cable storage to the Space Elevator Base.
| Setup choice | Strength | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| One Factory | Simple to manage and easy to supply | Slower progress toward a large requirement |
| Multiple Factories | Higher cable throughput | Greater demand for Carbon Nano Tube and Aluminum Bar |
| Local storage buffer | Protects production from short delivery gaps | Requires additional logistics planning |
| Direct base delivery | Reduces intermediate handling | Can create delays if the base is far away |
| Mixed project routing | Uses existing transport networks | May compete with other construction materials |
Use the following priorities when optimizing the chain:
- Protect advanced inputs first. A cable Factory cannot compensate for missing Carbon Nano Tube or Aluminum Bar.
- Avoid excessive factory expansion. Adding factories without increasing input production can create idle buildings rather than faster progress.
- Shorten the final route. Cable is a project-specific resource, so delivery to the Space Elevator Base should be simple and easy to inspect.
- Watch output storage. A blocked output can stop the entire production cycle.
- Review the base inventory regularly. The construction site should receive cable consistently instead of relying on one large late shipment.
Use a visible storage and delivery route for Space Elevator Cable. If the base stockpile stops increasing, inspect transport capacity before expanding factory production.
Space Elevator Cable Checklist and FAQ
Use this checklist before scaling the project. It focuses on the confirmed production and construction relationships for the cable.
Cable Project Checklist:
- Build or assign a Factory for Space Elevator Cable
- Secure Carbon Nano Tube for repeated production cycles
- Secure Aluminum Bar according to the listed recipe
- Create storage or transport capacity for finished cable
- Deliver the listed cable requirement to the Space Elevator Base
The table below provides a compact review of the complete chain.
| Checkpoint | Confirmed target |
|---|---|
| Production building | Factory |
| Carbon Nano Tube cost | 3 per cycle |
| Aluminum Bar cost | 1 per cycle |
| Cable output | 3 per cycle |
| Production duration | 10 days |
| Construction destination | Space Elevator Base |
| Listed construction total | 1,000 cables across two 500-cable inputs |
Q: What is Plan B: Terraform space elevator cable used for?
It is a Construction Materials resource used to build the Space Elevator. The finished cable must be delivered to the Space Elevator Base.
Q: Which materials are needed to make Space Elevator Cable?
The listed recipe uses 3 Carbon Nano Tubes and 1 Aluminum Bar to produce 3 cables in a Factory. The source page includes a conflicting image label, so verify the displayed material names in your current interface.
Q: How long does one Space Elevator Cable production cycle take?
The listed Factory recipe takes 10 days and produces 3 cables. The same entry gives a displayed annual output of 30 cables.
Q: How many cables are listed for the Space Elevator?
The construction table lists two separate requirements of 500 Space Elevator Cables, which totals 1,000 cables across the displayed inputs.
Keep the Factory, storage, transport route, and Space Elevator Base visible in your planning layout. Clear logistics make long-duration cable production easier to monitor and correct.