Boost

Boost is a resource used to represent the movement of goods and people from the surface of the Earth into space. It is a critical resource in the early game, often playing a large role in the initial race to colonize Luna and Mars, but it also has a number of uses in the late game as well.

Gaining Boost

Boost can be gained from nations and orgs, and it can also be acquired by trade with other factions.

Boost from Nations

Boost is most often produced by Nations who have completed the Found Space Program Priority priority, or who are in a federation with another nation that has.

Whenever the Boost Priority is completed, a random region in the nation is selected to increase its Boost production. This random selection is heavily weighted to favor the regions that already produce the most Boost, with a slight preference for regions that would gain more Boost production when selected. It also heavily prefers regions that are not currently occupied by war enemies.

The amount of Boost production a region gains depends on the latitude of its Launch Complex. Specifically, the region's annual boost production increases by 0.4 - (Launch Complex Latitude / 250), and since latitudes are rounded to the nearest 5, this means that boost output is effectively rounded to the nearest 0.02. The worst regions are Iceland and Arkhangelsk, whose latitudes of 65 mean that each only gains 0.14 Boost to annual production when selected. The best regions are the 26 regions with Launch Facilities that are practically on the Equator: each gains 0.4 Boost to annual production when selected. See Region List for a full list of Regions and how much {boost each gains per Boost Priority completion.

Distributing Boost

Nations in a federation share their boost with each other, using a formula that is heavily skewed towards the largest nations. All boost in the federation is added up, and then each nation gets a share that is proportional to (the number of its control points) ^ 3. If a nation is not in a federation, its boost is kept for itself.

• This is most notable for Kazakhstan, especially in 2022. The Baikonur Cosmodrome is one of the largest launch facilities on Earth, and their federation with Russia results in Russia getting most of the benefit from this. (It is very common for players to rush Kazakhstan and de-federate it as soon as possible, to maximize boost income without needing to take Russia.)

A nation's boost is divided evenly between the owners of its Control Points.

Boost from Orgs

Various orgs can give Boost when equipped. These orgs are available for purchase on the market:

Org Stars	Stats and Missions	Bonuses and Resource Incomes	Affinities and Requirements	Purchase Cost
National Reconnaissance Office	3 1 Surveil Location	2% 2% -200 0.3 2	Washington Government	200
Children of the Cog	50%: 1 to 2 2 to 3 2 Investigate Councilor Investigate Alien Activity Surveil Location	1% 1% to 2% 1% 1 2 to 5 50%: 0.5 5 to 10	Affinity: Banned: Cybernetics	500 to 1000 100 to 200
Whitefang Industries	4 to 5 2	3% 1 to 2	Affinity: Advanced Chemical Rocketry	2000 to 3000
Random Aerospace31		50%: 6% to 8% 50%: 6% to 8% 2 to 3 1 to 2	Affinity: Next-Generation Aerospace	600 to 800 20 to 40
Random Aerospace21		35%: 4% to 6% 35%: 4% to 6% 1 to 2 1	Affinity: Advanced Chemical Rocketry	400 to 500 10 to 20
Random Aerospace13		25%: 2% to 4% 50%: 2% to 4% 50%: 2% to 4% 2% to 5% 2% 2 to 4 50%: 0.5	Next-Generation Aerospace	250 to 550
Arcturus Heavy Industries	1	2% to 3% 1% 1 4% to 6% 5 to 15 25%: 1 25%: 1 to 5	Affinity: Mission to Mars	1000 to 1500
Orbital Resource Extraction Inc.	1 2 Assault Enemy Space Asset	2% 1 7% to 10% 10 to 15 1	Affinity: Banned: Space Commerce	1250 to 1750
Libertatem Terrae	2	2% 1 1 2	Affinity: Banned: Advanced Chemical Rocketry Stockholm	350 to 600
Solaris Automated Industries	3	1 50%: 1 to 10 1 to 2	Affinity: Banned: Applied Artificial Intelligence	1000 to 2000
Random Aerospace33	20%: 4 20%: 1	25%: 2% to 4% 50%: 6% to 8% 50%: 6% to 8% 10% to 15% 6% 15 to 30 50%: 2 to 3 50%: 1 20%: 1 to 6	Networked Global Defense	2000 to 2500 20 to 40
Espero	3 to 4 1	50%: 1 to 15 1 to 2	Affinity: Banned: Space Mining and Refining Dallas	350 to 600
Filfla Aeronautics	3 to 4 1 Control Space Asset Advise	2% 1 1 1 50%: 1 to 10	Affinity: Banned: Advanced Chemical Rocketry	350 to 700
Shimura-Suzumiya Conglomerate	2 2	2% to 3% 3% 2 75%: 1 to 10 1 10 to 20		750 to 1000
SpaceTech	3	3% 1 to 2 20 to 30	Affinity: Banned: Ad Astra	1500 to 2500
Lightstar Orbital	2	25%: 1% to 2% 25%: 1% to 2% 2% 1 10 to 20	Affinity: Banned: Advanced Chemical Rocketry	250 to 500
Random Aerospace23		25%: 2% to 4% 50%: 4% to 6% 50%: 4% to 6% 5% to 10% 4% 3 to 15 50%: 1 to 2 25%: 1	Terrestrial Military Science	600 to 1200 10 to 20
Random Aerospace11		20%: 2% to 4% 20%: 2% to 4% 0.5	Affinity:	250 to 300

These faction-linked orgs also give boost. Project Exodus Engineers is the main Project Exodus faction organization, and the others are available via the Space Mogul event.

Org Stars	Stats and Missions	Bonuses and Resource Incomes	Affinities and Requirements	Purchase Cost
Sahar Launch Systems	Control Space Asset	5% 5% 1.5 8	Affinity: Banned: Not on Market
Spaceguard Section	Assault Enemy Space Asset Control Space Asset	5% 5% 1.5 8	Affinity: Banned: Not on Market
Shiva Rocketry	Assault Enemy Space Asset	5% 5% 1.5 8	Affinity: Banned: Not on Market
New Epoch	Assault Enemy Space Asset Control Space Asset	5% 5% 1.5 8	Affinity: Banned: Not on Market
Project Exodus Engineers	3 5 Advise Control Space Asset	5% 10% 10% 10% 20% 1 10% 9 4 40	Affinity: Banned: Not on Market
Orbital Ventures	Control Space Asset	5% 5% 1.5 8	Affinity: Banned: Not on Market
Asterion Stellar Systems	Control Space Asset	5% 5% 1.5 8	Affinity: Banned: Not on Market
Gannet Exploration	Control Space Asset	5% 5% 1.5 8	Affinity: Banned: Not on Market

Using Boost

Space Construction

Boost is primarily used in the early game for setting up your faction's initial space mining habs, typically on Luna or Mars (except in the 2003 scenario, where it will typically be an automated mine on an asteroid instead). Even after your initial mines are operating, it can also be used to deal with any resource shortages that may arise.

One unit of boost will move ten tons (one unit) of resources from the surface of Earth to low Earth orbit. Boost can be used to move resources any distance, but the cost increases sharply as you move further from Earth. The formula is based on actual orbital calculations, the same as spaceships use for travel, so the exhaust velocity of the drive is equally important for minimizing fuel needs.

The following projects assist with using Boost outside LEO with higher speed/efficiency:

• Solid-Fuel Space Rockets: 2.6 kps exhaust velocity
• Liquid-Fuel Space Rockets: 3.3 kps exhaust velocity
• Cryogenic-Fuel Space Rockets: 4.44 kps exhaust velocity
• Interplanetary Chemical Rockets: 5.6 kps exhaust velocity
• High Thrust Probes: +100% probe speed
• Space Tugs: +11.1% delivery speed (=90% delivery time)
• Solar Steamers: Delivery time penalty for being outside ideal launch window reduced by 25%
• Nuclear Freighters: 10 kps exhaust velocity, +17.6% delivery speed (=85% delivery time)
• Advanced Chemical Rockets: 21.6 kps exhaust velocity
• Fusion Freighters: +66.7% delivery speed (=60% delivery time)

Boost for Hab Upkeep

Some hab modules require Boost as a form of upkeep for operating the module.

Tier 1		Tier 2		Tier 3
Module	Effects	Module	Effects	Module	Effects
No Boost cost for Quarters		Residential Module	Build cost: 3 9 18 60 Days Monthly expenses: 3 1 1 0.5 15 500 Crew Monthly income: 12 6 Special Rule: Add 6 defense against Control Space Asset and crew of module has no Money upkeep. Destroyer commits an Atrocity. If destroyed, the owner loses public support as if they committed an Atrocity (but does not actually commit an atrocity).	Civilian Complex	Build cost: 24 72 144 120 Days Monthly expenses: 10 6 2 1 120 2500 Crew Monthly income: 40 10 Special Rule: Add 12 defense against Control Space Asset and crew of module has no Money upkeep. Destroyer commits an Atrocity. If destroyed, the owner loses public support as if they committed an Atrocity (but does not actually commit an atrocity).
Administration Node	Build cost: 0.24 1.2 1.5 0.06 45 Days Monthly expenses: 10 0.03 0.03 0.03 1 10 40 Crew Special Rule: Add 4 Control Point Capacity if in Earth interface orbit. Add +2.5% bonus to Hab income. Max one per Hab.	Administration Tower	Build cost: 1.2 6 7.5 0.3 120 Days Monthly expenses: 30 0.1 0.1 0.1 4 40 200 Crew Monthly income: 1 Special Rule: Add 12 Control Point Capacity if in Earth interface orbit. Add +5% bonus to Hab income. Max one per Hab.	Administration Complex	Build cost: 9.6 48 60 2.4 240 Days Monthly expenses: 90 0.5 0.5 0.5 12 160 1000 Crew Monthly income: 2 Special Rule: Add 30 Control Point Capacity if in Earth interface orbit. Add +10% bonus to Hab income. Max one per Hab.
Tourist Berth	Build cost: 0.23 0.38 0.9 30 Days Monthly expenses: 0.2 3 2 Crew Monthly income: 20 Special Rule: Need ≥50000 system population. Cannot be built in irradiated locations. Destroyer commits an Atrocity. If destroyed, the owner loses public support as if they committed an Atrocity (but does not actually commit an atrocity).	Space Hotel	Build cost: 7.5 12.5 30 90 Days Monthly expenses: 3 2 3 30 200 Crew Monthly income: 120 2 Special Rule: Need ≥50000 system population. Cannot be built in irradiated locations. Destroyer commits an Atrocity. If destroyed, the owner loses public support as if they committed an Atrocity (but does not actually commit an atrocity).	Space Resort	Build cost: 60 100 240 180 Days Monthly expenses: 10 5 6 90 1000 Crew Monthly income: 400 5 Special Rule: Need ≥50000 system population. Cannot be built in irradiated locations. Destroyer commits an Atrocity. If destroyed, the owner loses public support as if they committed an Atrocity (but does not actually commit an atrocity).
built from tier 2		Medical Center	Build cost: 29.6 16 32 2.4 90 Days Monthly expenses: 5 3 1 30 120 Crew Monthly income: 90 Special Rule: Need ≥10000 system population. Adds 2.5% Life Science Cannot be built in irradiated locations. Destroyer commits an Atrocity. If destroyed, the owner loses public support as if they committed an Atrocity (but does not actually commit an atrocity).	Space Hospital	Build cost: 236.8 128 256 19.2 180 Days Monthly expenses: 15 10 3 90 600 Crew Monthly income: 300 Special Rule: Need ≥10000 system population. Adds 2.5% Life Science Cannot be built in irradiated locations. Destroyer commits an Atrocity. If destroyed, the owner loses public support as if they committed an Atrocity (but does not actually commit an atrocity).

Orgs with Boost upkeep

All random orgs that give bonuses to space mining require Boost as an upkeep cost.

Org Stars	Stats and Missions	Bonuses and Resource Incomes	Affinities and Requirements	Purchase Cost
Random SpaceMining12		2% 4% to 6% -5 to -2	Affinity: Space Commerce	1000 to 1500 20 to 40
Random SpaceMining11		1% 2% to 4% -2 to -1	Affinity: Industrialization of Space	500 to 750 10 to 20
Random SpaceMining13		3% 6% to 10% -10 to -5	Affinity: Integrated Earth-Space Economy	1500 to 2000 40 to 80

Other Boost Costs

• Rescuing crew when scttling spaceships can cost boost, if there are not enough other ships nearby to rescue the stranded crew.
• The Combat Astronaut trait costs 10 XP, 100 , 1 , and 1 .
• Certain events cost boost and/or damage boost income.