Astroneer: How to Make a Large Shuttle and Expand Your Exploration

In Astroneer, one of the most exciting parts of the game is exploring new planets, gathering resources, and expanding your interplanetary capabilities. While small shuttles allow you to travel to nearby planets, the Large Shuttle is a game-changer when it comes to interplanetary exploration, allowing you to carry more items and even additional vehicles on your journey. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to craft the Large Shuttle and make your interplanetary adventures a reality.

What is the Large Shuttle?

The Large Shuttle is a bigger, more powerful version of the standard Shuttle in Astroneer. It offers significantly more cargo space, meaning you can bring more resources, tools, and even an additional vehicle with you when traveling between planets. This makes it essential for long-term exploration, resource gathering, and base building on distant worlds.

While the Small Shuttle is sufficient for short trips, the Large Shuttle gives you the capacity to take on more complex missions, including resource extraction, scientific research, and more. The shuttle is also capable of traveling to the Moon, planets in the Solar System, and even certain moons of other planets.

Materials Needed to Build the Large Shuttle

Building the Large Shuttle requires several resources that you’ll need to gather and refine on your current planet. Here’s a list of what you’ll need to construct it:

1. Aluminum (2)
2. Rubber (1)
3. Steel (1)

Where to Find the Materials

• Aluminum can be obtained by smelting Bauxite. Bauxite can be found on the surface or underground, usually on planets like Sylva and Desolo. Use a Smelting Furnace to turn Bauxite into Aluminum.
• Rubber is a crafted resource that you’ll need Resin to make. Combine Resin with a Compound to create Rubber. You’ll find Resin easily by mining large plants or nodes on Sylva and other planets.
• Steel is created by combining Iron and Carbon. Iron can be found in caves or on the surface of planets like Sylva and Atrox, while Carbon is derived from Organic materials. You’ll need a Smelting Furnace to refine Iron into Steel after combining it with Carbon.

Once you have all the necessary resources, you can move forward with the crafting process.

Building the Large Shuttle

The Large Shuttle requires a Medium Printer to be crafted. You’ll need to make sure you have a Medium Printer set up at your base and enough power to craft the shuttle. Here’s how to proceed:

1. Set Up the Medium Printer: First, place the Medium Printer on a platform with power. Make sure your base has a consistent power source, whether it’s solar panels, wind turbines, or generators. You can also attach batteries to store power for the printer.
2. Access the Printer: Once the Medium Printer is powered, open the printer’s crafting menu and look for the Large Shuttle blueprint.
3. Craft the Shuttle: After selecting the Large Shuttle, place the required resources (Aluminum, Rubber, and Steel) on the printer’s input slots. The printer will then begin crafting the Large Shuttle. Be patient, as this process will take some time.
4. Assemble the Shuttle: Once the shuttle is finished, the Large Shuttle will appear as a completed item. It can be placed on a Large Shuttle Platform, which is where the shuttle will be stored before launching.

Launching the Large Shuttle

Now that you’ve crafted the Large Shuttle, you’ll need a suitable launch pad to send it to other planets.

1. Build a Launch Platform: To launch the Large Shuttle, you’ll need a Large Shuttle Platform, which can be printed using the Large Printer. Make sure your base has the space to set up the platform.
2. Place the Large Shuttle: Once the platform is ready, place the Large Shuttle on it. The shuttle will attach to the platform and be ready for launch.
3. Add Fuel: Before you can take off, you’ll need to load the shuttle with Fuel (Hydrazine or another fuel source). Hydrazine can be crafted using Ammonium and Hydrogen and stored in a fuel tank or placed directly in the shuttle’s fuel slots.
4. Board the Shuttle: Approach the shuttle and press the appropriate button to board. Once inside, you can adjust your destination using the Planetary Map interface.
5. Launch into Space: When everything is set, press the launch button, and the Large Shuttle will take off into space. You’ll be able to navigate to various planets and moons, where you can set up new bases, harvest resources, and explore.

Advantages of the Large Shuttle

• More Cargo Space: The Large Shuttle offers a lot more storage than the Small Shuttle, making it ideal for resource-heavy missions.
• Ability to Carry Vehicles: Unlike the Small Shuttle, which has limited capacity, the Large Shuttle can carry other vehicles, such as the Rover or Large Rover, along with your resources.
• Enhanced Exploration: The Large Shuttle enables you to explore distant planets, moons, and even star systems that are otherwise out of reach with the smaller spacecraft.

Tips for Using the Large Shuttle

1. Plan Your Routes: Since the Large Shuttle has more capacity, it’s ideal for longer missions. Make sure to plan your trip and stock up on necessary items like oxygen tanks, fuel, and food.
2. Keep an Eye on Fuel: Make sure you have enough fuel for your trip and return. Running out of fuel while in space can leave you stranded, so always keep backup fuel in your shuttle.
3. Carry a Vehicle: Bringing a Rover or Large Rover on your journey can help you explore planets quickly and efficiently once you’ve landed, especially on large, expansive worlds.
4. Use Beacons: Mark points of interest on your map with Beacons to help you navigate your landing spots and resources more easily.

Conclusion

The Large Shuttle in Astroneer opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for interplanetary exploration. Whether you’re gathering rare resources, building bases on distant planets, or simply enjoying the vastness of space, the Large Shuttle is an essential tool for any serious explorer. Crafting it may require a little time and effort, but the rewards are well worth it as you set off on your next big adventure in the stars!