How it works
Expand research while keeping an honest distinction between base Factorio and Space Age. Each stage in the walkthrough below has a distinct practical objective; complete the current supply or control loop before expanding it.
Practical advice
Build red science with common intermediates and follow it with green science. Keep belts, inserters and gears produced reliably because they are needed elsewhere too.
Mistakes to avoid
Never assume an unrelated blueprint or another version of Factorio has identical recipes, technology unlocks or machine ratios. Use the checkpoints in this guide to diagnose your own save.
Science packs from red to space: complete walkthrough
Red and green automation
Build red science with common intermediates and follow it with green science. Keep belts, inserters and gears produced reliably because they are needed elsewhere too.
Military and chemical branches
Build black science when defenses need upgrades and blue science when oil processing supports new technologies. Each branch adds different bottlenecks to the main factory.
Production and utility science
Purple and yellow packs consume larger, more elaborate intermediate chains. Add dedicated production, then inspect output graphs rather than multiplying lab counts blindly.
Base-game space science
In non-Space-Age Factorio, the familiar rocket/satellite route supports space science. Plan its resources after establishing high-tier science and advanced manufacturing.
Space Age science route
With the expansion, space science is produced differently and each planet contributes specialized packs. Plan interplanetary transport and agricultural freshness instead of copying base-only recipes.