Moon Sweepers automation guide and fixes
Automation is how you go from cleaning hexes to cleaning regions. Here is what each machine does, how to connect them and how to fix the problems players run into most.
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Getting started with automation
- Buy the Building Tool ($50). It unlocks the Logistics menu.
- Place a Packager ($100) and press E to unload your tool into it — it turns loose dust into capsules.
- Run a Conveyor from the Packager to the Depot. Conveyors cost $0.50 per metre and are built in sections of up to 30 m.
- Since patch 1.0.3, dust and stone that arrive at the Depot by conveyor sell automatically.
Every Moon Sweepers automation machine
Robot Vacuums clean a fixed area around their dock and pack the dust into capsules for a conveyor. Place each dock on uncleaned ground — docks placed next to each other mostly overlap. J.O.O.N.A.S. is the big upgrade: a roaming cleaner that looks for the nearest dirty hexes and fires capsules at a Capsule Catcher. Patch 1.0.4 made it roughly twice as fast.
| Machine | Price | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Building Tool | $50 | Unlocks the Logistics menu for structures |
| Packager | $100 | Press E to unload your tool into it |
| Conveyor | $0.50 / m | Up to 30 m per section; check direction at every joint |
| Robot Vacuum Mk I | $250 | Cleans a fixed 19-hex area around its dock |
| Robot Vacuum Mk II | $500 | Cleans a fixed 37-hex area around its dock |
| Solar Post | $75 | 3 kW nominal |
| Solar Twin (M) | — | 7.5 kW nominal |
| Pressure Chamber | $500 | Dust → Moon Sand (3× value), needs 10 kW, about 25 kg/min |
| Stone Press | $1,000 | 1 kg Dust + 1 kg Moon Sand → 2 kg Moonstone (7× value), needs 18 kW, up to 20 kg/min |
| Capsule Catcher | $1,500 | Receives capsules fired by J.O.O.N.A.S.; holds up to 100 kg |
| J.O.O.N.A.S. | $20,000 | Roaming cleaner with six arms; patch 1.0.4 made it roughly twice as fast |
Conveyor tips
- Check the direction at every joint. Capsules that reach an unfinished end pile up and never sell.
- Splitters alternate between their outputs automatically; there is no priority setting. Mergers combine branches, and raised belts can cross without joining.
- Keep a raw-dust line. A direct route to the Depot keeps money coming in if a processing machine stops.
- Removing structures does not always refund the full price, so plan routes before building long ones.
Moon Sweepers automation problems and fixes
Capsule Catcher not emptying
A Capsule Catcher holds up to 100 kg and needs a working outgoing conveyor. If it fills up, J.O.O.N.A.S. returns and waits. Check that the catcher's output belt runs all the way to the Depot or a machine and that nothing on the route is pointing the wrong way.
Garage or vehicle not sending dust
Vehicles unload onto a collector pad, and a silo passes the capsules on. If the money does not change after unloading, the silo has nowhere to send them: connect its output to a conveyor that ends at the Depot.
Could not pack capsule
Make sure there is free space where the capsule is created and that the Packager or Auto Packer output is not blocked by an earlier capsule.
Pressure Chamber refuses dust
Dust has to enter from the side without the handle. Rotate the belt or the machine.
Stone Press sitting idle
The press needs both dust and Moon Sand at its inputs, enough power and a clear exit for Moonstone. Check all three.
Machines stop after sunset
Solar output is zero at night. Add generation and storage, or accept that the line pauses. The calculator shows how much power your machines need.
J.O.O.N.A.S. or robots freeze when you are far away
Players have reported far-away machines going idle. Patch 1.0.4 improved J.O.O.N.A.S.; if it still happens, keep your base area loaded or check the Steam discussions for the latest fix.