# Satisfactory Beginner Guide: Crash-Landing to Space Elevator

> A complete beginner walkthrough for Satisfactory, covering the Hub, first automated miners, production lines, power scaling, and deploying the Space Elevator.

- **Game:** Satisfactory
- **Category:** Getting Started
- **Author:** LongBeam (https://guides-factory.com/about)
- **Difficulty:** Beginner
- **Reading time:** 10 min
- **Published:** 2026-08-07
- **Updated:** 2026-08-31
- **Tags:** Automation, Beginner Guide, Factory Building, Space Elevator
- **Adapted from:** [Satisfactory Beginner Guide — Vadd Guides (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Towmd_puVa8)
- **Canonical URL:** https://guides-factory.com/guides/satisfactory-beginner-guide

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## Core Idea

![Satisfactory new game screen with the four starting areas, Grass Fields highlighted and labelled Ideal for first-time pioneers, plus the Skip Intro checkbox](/media/guides/markdown/79584554-8138-4c6c-80b9-da2230646a91.png)

The very first decision of the run is made here, and the game itself flags Grass Fields as the beginner start this guide assumes.

Starting a new save in Satisfactory can feel overwhelming, with dozens of systems to learn at once. This guide, based on Vadd Guides' "Satisfactory Beginner Guide," walks new pilots step by step from landing on the planet through building a working iron and copper production base, fixing early power problems, and finally launching the first phase of the Space Elevator.

## 1. Building the Hub

![Satisfactory HUB terminal milestone screen for HUB Upgrade 1, listing Equipment Workshop, Portable Miner and +1 Hand Equipment Slot as rewards for a cost of 10 Iron Rods](/media/guides/markdown/96cc3d0b-3511-4966-bab5-9d560083362c.png)

This is the panel that tells you what a milestone unlocks and exactly what it costs before you commit any parts to it.

The walkthrough begins at the Hub, the structure that anchors your base and unlocks your first crafting recipes. The video highlights the build menu's grid-snapping option, which keeps new structures aligned with existing ones, and reminds new players that dismantling a building always refunds all of the resources that went into it, so early mistakes are never permanent.

**Checklist:**
- [ ] Land at the Hub and interact with it to unlock your first recipes
- [ ] Open the build menu and enable grid-snapping for aligned construction
- [ ] Remember that dismantling a building always refunds its resources

## 2. First Portable Miner

![Portable Miner hologram over an iron deposit in Satisfactory with the prompt Press RT to place Miner on Iron Ore node (Pure) showing the node purity](/media/guides/markdown/ecdc2893-0dc2-4d90-854f-e4ea9cfa6210.png)

The placement prompt names the node's purity, which is how you confirm you are putting your first miner on a pure node rather than a normal or impure one.

Next, the guide covers placing your first Portable Miner on a resource node to begin automating raw ore extraction instead of mining by hand, laying the groundwork for the rest of the factory.

**Checklist:**
- [ ] Find a nearby resource node (e.g. iron or copper)
- [ ] Place a Portable Miner directly on the node
- [ ] Connect it to storage or a conveyor belt so ore starts flowing automatically

## 3. Constructing Production Lines

![Satisfactory power grid graph reading Consumption 21.3 MW, Max Consumption 35 MW, Production 21.3 MW and Capacity 60 MW](/media/guides/markdown/882baa03-db05-4929-b426-ff5a04ba2a5a.png)

Max Consumption, not current draw, is the figure that must stay under Capacity, which is why two linked biomass burners are enough here.


![Satisfactory Constructor production panel for the Iron Plate recipe, 3 Iron Ingot at 30 per minute in and 2 Iron Plate at 20 per minute out, drawing 4 MW over a 6 second cycle](/media/guides/markdown/bac21963-38f9-4a32-8121-5905273a6f33.png)

Every machine panel states its input and output rates, so you can size a line from the numbers instead of guessing at the 3:2 ratio.

With ore flowing in, the video moves on to connecting machines with conveyor belts to build the first true production lines, turning raw resources like iron ore into refined parts automatically.

**Checklist:**
- [ ] Place a Smelter (or Constructor) near your ore supply
- [ ] Connect the miner output to the machine with conveyor belts
- [ ] Chain additional machines to turn ingots into basic parts automatically

## 4. Unlocking the Chainsaw

![Tier 2 Obstacle Clearing milestone in the Satisfactory HUB, rewarding the Chainsaw, Solid Biofuel and +3 inventory slots for 500 Wire, 100 Cable and 100 Concrete](/media/guides/markdown/dbbc5a86-0245-4715-862f-8f0127274a16.png)

The chainsaw arrives bundled with Solid Biofuel, and the 500 Wire in the cost line is what makes this milestone worth queueing early.

This chapter covers unlocking the chainsaw tool, which speeds up clearing trees and foliage around the growing factory site so you can expand your build area more efficiently.

**Checklist:**
- [ ] Progress the tech tree until the chainsaw becomes available
- [ ] Craft the chainsaw and keep it fueled
- [ ] Use it to clear trees and foliage around your build site

## 5. Scaling Up Power Plant

![Top-down view of a Satisfactory biomass burner farm, two facing rows of burners fed by a central conveyor from constructors and storage containers on a foundation platform](/media/guides/markdown/ca49c1fb-c0bf-4d3f-aa0b-49f5e3f0decc.png)

The mirrored two-row layout is the part that is hard to picture from text, and it is what lets one fuel belt serve every burner.

As machines multiply, power demand grows with them. The guide walks through scaling up power generation so brownouts don't stall your production lines.

**Checklist:**
- [ ] Monitor your power grid as you add new machines
- [ ] Build additional generators to keep supply ahead of demand
- [ ] Avoid brownouts that slow down or stop production

## 6. Limestone Production Line

![FICSIT AWESOME Sink interface in Satisfactory generating 120 standard points per minute with 284 points remaining until the next coupon](/media/guides/markdown/d400c53e-0165-4021-8c13-5ac50c7bd54d.png)

Feeding surplus concrete into the sink turns the limestone line into coupons, and this readout is where you see how fast they accrue.


![Logistics Mk.2 milestone panel in Satisfactory showing Conveyor Belt Mk.2 transports up to 120 resources per minute, unlocked for 50 Reinforced Iron Plate, 200 Concrete, 300 Iron Rod and 300 Iron Plate](/media/guides/markdown/e7c44c1d-c2cd-40f0-a639-08617ca1c27e.png)

A Mk.1 belt caps the limestone line at 60/min, so this is the exact upgrade and price tag that stops the node being half wasted.

The video then sets up a dedicated limestone production line, since limestone is a key ingredient for concrete and several mid-game recipes.

**Checklist:**
- [ ] Locate a limestone node
- [ ] Set up miners and conveyors dedicated to limestone
- [ ] Route limestone into concrete production for upcoming builds

## 7. Advanced Copper Production

![Satisfactory Constructor recipe list with Copper Sheet selected, showing a 6 second craft costing 2 Copper Ingot alongside Iron Plate, Iron Rod, Screws, Wire, Cable, Concrete and biomass recipes](/media/guides/markdown/4cafd6c9-e5c7-4de8-a89b-fda29f6c35c2.png)

This is the full menu of constructor recipes available at this point, and it shows copper splitting into the sheet and wire branches.

Building on the early copper setup, this section expands copper processing into a more advanced production line to keep up with growing demand for wire and cable.

**Checklist:**
- [ ] Expand the existing copper miner setup with additional machines
- [ ] Add production for wire and cable
- [ ] Balance copper output against iron and other lines sharing power

## 8. Building Large Iron Factory

![Satisfactory Assembler production panel for Reinforced Iron Plate, consuming 6 Iron Plate at 30 per minute and 12 Screws at 60 per minute to output 5 plates per minute at 15 MW](/media/guides/markdown/2401257f-ac19-421f-b295-071437af8168.png)

The screw side of the recipe needs twice the throughput of the plate side, which is the ratio that decides how many constructors feed each assembler.


![Overhead view of a large Satisfactory iron factory with a row of smelters feeding constructors and assemblers, linked by conveyor belts and lifts on a foundation platform](/media/guides/markdown/782d1b21-5d25-46c1-a361-aed0369032b1.png)

Seeing the three machine ranks stacked in parallel rows explains the build far better than a list of steps does.

Here the guide scales the original iron setup into a full-sized iron factory, capable of supplying the parts needed for later milestones.

**Checklist:**
- [ ] Scale up the early iron ore setup with more miners and smelters
- [ ] Add constructors to turn ingots into finished parts
- [ ] Ensure power and belt throughput can support the larger factory

## 9. Accessing the Awesome Shop

![Satisfactory Miner Mk.1 panel on a pure iron node at 100 percent clock speed producing 120 Iron Ore per minute for 5 MW, with the overclock slider reaching 250 percent](/media/guides/markdown/25dd151f-a799-41cc-b8a5-9f38aab4ff8d.png)

Once power shards are researched this slider is where extra output comes from, and the panel shows the base 120/min it is scaling.


![AWESOME Shop Architecture tab in Satisfactory with 19 coupons banked, showing Factory Ladder for 3 coupons, Modern Catwalks and Industrial Walkways for 5 each](/media/guides/markdown/32b3e821-d9ea-4f21-9bff-49059920e86d.png)

Coupon prices are only visible in the shop itself, and the 3-coupon Factory Ladder is the cheapest genuinely useful first purchase.

This chapter covers the Awesome Shop, where excess resources can be exchanged for coupons and unlockable cosmetic and utility rewards.

**Checklist:**
- [ ] Stockpile excess resources you are not currently using
- [ ] Exchange them in the Awesome Shop for coupons
- [ ] Redeem coupons for useful cosmetic or utility unlocks

## 10. Deploying the Space Elevator

![Satisfactory Space Elevator interface showing Project Assembly Phase 1 Distribution Platform sealed and ready for dispatch, which unlocks Tiers 3 and 4](/media/guides/markdown/8430ee27-6d50-479f-9f9c-39a4bddf7f40.png)

The panel spells out the payoff for the 50 Smart Plating: Phase 1 opens Tiers 3 and 4, including [coal power](/guides/satisfactory-coal-power-plant-guide-100-efficient-setups).

The video then walks through deploying the Space Elevator and delivering the parts needed for its first phase, a key milestone that unlocks further progression.

**Checklist:**
- [ ] Unlock and construct the Space Elevator
- [ ] Produce the parts required for Phase 1
- [ ] Deliver the parts to the elevator to progress your save

## 11. Establishing Coal Power Station

![Satisfactory Water Extractor underclocked to 75 percent for a target of 90 cubic metres of water per minute at 13.7 MW, with a 600 cubic metre per minute maximum pipe flow rate](/media/guides/markdown/710526f9-f2d3-4256-addd-6d9bf34428b7.png)

One extractor at 75 percent puts out exactly 90 m3/min, which is why a single extractor cleanly feeds two coal generators.


![Satisfactory coal generator panel at 100 percent clock speed producing 75 MW while holding 50 of 50 cubic metres of water and consuming 45 cubic metres per minute](/media/guides/markdown/1ebf1601-f594-404f-92ec-fe77ecef57d2.png)

The 45 m3/min water draw per generator is the number the whole plant layout is built around.

Finally, the guide closes by setting up a proper Coal Power Station, resolving the early power bottlenecks introduced earlier and creating a stable power supply for continued expansion.

**Checklist:**
- [ ] Find a location with both a coal node and a water source nearby
- [ ] Build a Coal Power Station with a Water Extractor for coolant
- [ ] Connect the station to your grid to resolve earlier power bottlenecks

## Video Chapters
| Timestamp | Chapter |
|---|---|
| [0:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Towmd_puVa8&t=0s) | Satisfactory (Intro) |
| [8:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Towmd_puVa8&t=494s) | Building the Hub |
| [13:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Towmd_puVa8&t=828s) | First Portable Miner |
| [26:08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Towmd_puVa8&t=1568s) | Constructing Production Lines |
| [43:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Towmd_puVa8&t=2625s) | Unlocking the Chainsaw |
| [58:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Towmd_puVa8&t=3513s) | Scaling Up Power Plant |
| [1:14:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Towmd_puVa8&t=4472s) | Limestone Production Line |
| [1:23:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Towmd_puVa8&t=5011s) | Advanced Copper Production |
| [1:32:46](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Towmd_puVa8&t=5566s) | Building Large Iron Factory |
| [2:00:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Towmd_puVa8&t=7209s) | Accessing the Awesome Shop |
| [2:18:26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Towmd_puVa8&t=8306s) | Deploying the Space Elevator |
| [2:24:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Towmd_puVa8&t=8658s) | Establishing Coal Power Station |

## Sources
This guide is based entirely on the YouTube video "Satisfactory Beginner Guide" by Vadd Guides.

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## FAQ

### Do I need to plan my factory layout perfectly before I start building?

No. As shown in the video, dismantling any structure in Satisfactory refunds all of the resources used to build it, so you can freely experiment with your Hub and early layout without wasting materials.

### What's the first machine I should automate?

The guide starts with a Portable Miner placed on a resource node, which automates raw ore extraction so you're no longer mining by hand.

### How do I fix constant power outages early on?

The video addresses this directly by walking through scaling up your power plant and later establishing a dedicated Coal Power Station, which resolves the brownouts caused by early, undersized power setups.

### What is the Space Elevator used for?

The Space Elevator is the milestone the whole guide builds toward. Delivering its required parts, covered in the guide's Space Elevator chapter, unlocks further progression in the game.

### Is this guide suitable for someone who has never played Satisfactory before?

Yes. It's built specifically as a beginner walkthrough, starting from landing on the planet and covering each core system in order, from the Hub to your first factory lines.