Satisfactory Beginner's Guide: The HUB, Your First Automated Line and the Space Elevator

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1. Dismantle the drop pod You start next to your drop pod while the AI assistant ADA walks you through the basics. First press F to enter dismantle mode and take the pod apart; it gives you the Iron Ore needed for the HUB.
2. Build the HUB Open the build menu with Q and place the HUB on flat ground. The HUB is the centre of all progression: you pick milestones and deliver parts at its HUB Terminal, and you respawn there. You can only build one, so choose a spacious, flat spot close to iron, copper and limestone.
3. Finish the HUB Upgrades in order Tier 0 consists of six HUB Upgrades that must be done in sequence. They unlock basics such as the Equipment Workshop, Portable Miner, Smelter, Constructor, conveyor belts and the Miner Mk.1, and each one expands your inventory.
4. Start power with biomass The Biomass Burner runs on leaves and wood you gather with E. At this stage power depends entirely on you refuelling it; when fuel runs out, machines stop. Turning plants into Biomass in a Constructor makes the same material last longer.
5. Build your first automated line Place a Miner Mk.1 on an iron node, belt it into a Smelter, then into a Constructor. Iron Ore now turns into Iron Ingots and then Iron Plates or Iron Rods on its own. This is where Satisfactory starts to click.
6. Build the Space Elevator The sixth HUB Upgrade unlocks the Space Elevator. Once it is built, Tier 1 and Tier 2 milestones become available at the HUB Terminal. It is a large structure, so leave room next to the HUB.
7. Prioritise Field Research in Tier 1 The Field Research milestone unlocks the MAM, the Object Scanner and the map. Base Building adds foundations, ramps and walls, while Logistics adds the Conveyor Splitter and Merger. Together they are the backbone of a tidy factory.
8. Prepare for the first phase in Tier 2 Part Assembly unlocks the two-input Assembler. Phase 1 of the Space Elevator (Distribution Platform) asks for 50 Smart Plating, which is made in the Assembler. Delivering it unlocks Tiers 3 and 4.
9. Unlock the AWESOME Sink and Shop The Resource Sink Bonus Program in Tier 2 unlocks the AWESOME Sink, the AWESOME Shop and the Customizer. Items fed into the Sink earn points that convert into FICSIT Coupons, which buy things like railings, ladders, paint finishes and vehicles.

• Reset the fuse after a power tripIf machines draw more power than you produce, the grid trips and everything stops. Reduce the load, then interact with any power pole or generator and pull the breaker lever to restart. Checking the power graph before adding machines prevents this.
• Move from biomass to coalBiomass Burners need constant hand-feeding. The Coal Generator from the Tier 3 Coal Power milestone runs by itself when coal and water are delivered by belt and pipe, making it your first truly automated power source.
• Calculate ratios before buildingEach building's menu shows its input and output per minute. If ore arrives faster than a Smelter needs, the belt backs up; slower, and the machine idles. The quick search (N) doubles as a calculator, so you can work out ratios without leaving the game.
• Build on foundationsPlacing machines straight onto uneven terrain makes expansion painful. Foundations give you a clean grid and Ctrl snaps to guidelines. Leave room for belts and walkways between machines.
• Use the CodexThe Codex (O) stores descriptions of everything you have unlocked plus ADA's messages. It is the first place to look when you forget what a part is for.
• Collect Hard DrivesCrash sites across the map hold Hard Drives. Scanning one in the MAM takes about 10 minutes and lets you pick one of two alternate recipes. Alternates are not always upgrades; they trade off raw materials, space and power differently.
• Overclock with Power SlugsGlowing Power Slugs can be turned into Power Shards through MAM research. Each shard raises a machine's maximum clock speed by 50 percent, up to 250 percent with three. Power use rises faster than output, so watch your grid.
• Underclocking is a tool tooRunning a machine below 100 percent needs no shards and cuts its power use more than proportionally. When a line's numbers don't quite match, slowing the last machine is an easy fix for backed-up belts.
• Sink the surplus, not the main lineThe AWESOME Sink is ideal for overflow at the end of a line. Sending your main output straight into it delays Space Elevator parts; meet your needs first, then split the excess into the Sink.
• Check the newer buildingsUpdate 1.1 added the Conveyor Wall Hole, the Priority Merger with three priority levels and the Personnel Elevator. Older guides don't mention them, so look at these options when a layout is giving you trouble.
• Be ready for the local wildlifeSome of the planet's creatures are hostile. The starting Xeno-Zapper helps at close range, but avoiding crowded areas early on is the safest approach. If you die, your items stay in a crate where you fell, and you can go back for them.

• Placing the HUB in a hurry; it is a one-of-a-kind building, and a spot without nearby basic resources and flat ground slows everything down.
• Relying on Biomass Burners for too long; hauling fuel eats your time, so aim for Coal Power early.
• Placing machines without calculating ratios; belts back up or machines idle, and the cause becomes hard to trace.
• Cramming everything into one tight block with no room to grow; later tiers will force you to rebuild almost every line.
• Unlocking the MAM late; the Object Scanner, Power Shards and alternate recipes all depend on MAM research.
• Turning on Creative Mode and saving; it permanently disables achievements for that save file.

This guide was written for version: Guide updated for Satisfactory version 1.2 and the default PC keyboard and mouse controls as of September 2026.

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