Your Belt Is Running Dry. Tow the Next One Over.
The starter asteroid belt has limited ore. You can see a Titanium-rich asteroid 100m away. Your drills are idle because the current patch ran out. Do you build a mining outpost on the far asteroid? Or do you tow the entire asteroid closer?
You tow it. Asteroid towing is one of the most efficient mid-game mechanics. Instead of building expensive outposts with freighter logistics, you drag the resource-rich asteroid right next to your station and mine it like it belongs there.
The Short Version
Build a Prospector Ship with a Tractor Beam (size 3+ module). Fly to any asteroid weighing under 500 tons. Lock on with beam, activate tow, fly slowly back to station. Park the asteroid 10-20 tiles from your drills. Full cycle: 3-5 minutes per asteroid for 300-1000 units of ore.
Ship Requirements for Towing[+]
What Your Ship Needs
| Component | Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ship Size | Minimum 3 modules | Shipyard I is too small, need Shipyard II |
| Tractor Beam | Module slot (size 2) | Research required (Station Level 4) |
| Engine Power | 200+ thrust | More thrust = faster towing speed |
| Power Supply | 50 kW for beam | Beam drains power while active |
| Stabilizers | Optional (reduces drift) | Highly recommended for large loads |
Ship Build:
[Cockpit] - [Power Core] - [Engine] - [Tractor Beam] - [Cargo Hold] - [Stabilizer]
Towing Speed by Asteroid Weight:
| Asteroid Weight | Max Tow Speed | Time for 100m | Drift Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 100 tons | 20 m/s | 5 seconds | None |
| 100-300 tons | 10 m/s | 10 seconds | Low |
| 300-500 tons | 5 m/s | 20 seconds | Medium |
| Over 500 tons | Cannot tow | N/A | N/A |
Asteroid Selection - Which Rocks to Tow[+]
Read the Prospector Ping
Before towing, scan the asteroid with your Prospector tool:
| Ping Color | Ore Type | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Green | Iron/Copper only | Low (you have these nearby) |
| Blue | Titanium/Tungsten | High |
| Gold | Exotic/Rare minerals | Highest |
| White | Relic signature | Must extract before towing |
Asteroid Quality Tier:
| Tier | Ore Density | Total Yield | Recommended? |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 80%+ rare ore | 1000+ units | Always tow |
| A | 60%+ rare ore | 500-1000 units | Tow if within 150m |
| B | Mixed ore | 300-500 units | Tow if very close |
| C | Mostly Iron | Under 300 units | Skip |
Priority Target
Any asteroid showing Titanium (Blue) pings with 300+ ton mass is worth towing. Titanium is the gate material for mid-game production, and having a dedicated Titanium asteroid next to your station eliminates the biggest logistics headache.
Parking and Mining the Towed Asteroid[+]
Where to Park
Once you tow the asteroid back:
- Position it 10-20 tiles from your station (close enough for connectors, far enough to not block expansion)
- Release the Tractor Beam
- The asteroid will drift slightly before settling into a stationary orbit
- Place Drills directly on the asteroid surface
- Connect drill outputs back to your station via connectors
Drill Placement on Towed Asteroids:
| Asteroid Size | Maximum Drills | Expected Mining Time |
|---|---|---|
| Small (<100t) | 1-2 | 5-10 minutes |
| Medium (100-300t) | 2-4 | 10-20 minutes |
| Large (300-500t) | 4-6 | 20-40 minutes |
After the asteroid is depleted: You can either remove the drills and tow another asteroid, or use the depleted rock as a building platform (drill on the other side for a second round). Depleted asteroids have 20% the yield as a bonus.
Prospecting Route With Towing
- Scan nearby sector with Prospector (find Blue/Gold asteroids)
- Mark target with Beacon
- Build a Prospector Ship (cockpit + engine + tractor beam)
- Fly out, lock beam, tow back
- Park, drill, connect
- Repeat until your station is surrounded by resource rocks
v1.1: Automating Towing With Ship CPU Control
v1.1’s Ship CPU Control system can take the pilot seat out of towing. Allocate CPU points to a Prospector’s auto-tow role in the Ship menu and the ship will fly out, lock on, and tow asteroids back to your station on its own – no manual flying.
Manual towing vs. CPU auto-tow:
| Manual Towing | CPU Auto-Tow | |
|---|---|---|
| Control | You fly the ship | Ship runs autonomously |
| Best for | Selecting exact rocks, scouting new sectors, one-off pulls | Repeatable hauls of known asteroid fields |
| Attention | Ties up you (or a pilot) | Hands-off, runs while you build |
| Setup cost | None beyond the tractor beam | Requires CPU points allocated to auto-tow |
v1.1: Use manual towing when you are prospecting an unknown sector or want a specific asteroid parked in a precise spot. Use CPU auto-tow for the routine grind of pulling known Titanium/Tungsten rocks from a mapped belt – let the ship loop the route while you focus on station production.
The auto-tow role respects the same weight limits (under 500 tons) and drift behavior described above, so the towing-speed table still applies. Full role allocation and CPU budget details are in the Ship CPU Control Guide.