Satisfactory Guide: Successfully complete Space Elevator Phase 2

The Space Elevator is the largest structure you can build in Satisfactory. It connects directly to your employer FICSIT in orbit and helps you explore the planet and transport materials more efficiently. You have already constructed it and completed Phase 1 to unlock Tier 3 and Tier 4 milestones. If you have followed our previous guides, you should have finished those by now. However, Tier 5 and Tier 6 are locked behind further elevator deliveries, so it is time to push on. Phase 2 is notably more demanding and requires several tricky items to produce — we will break them down for you here.

Satisfactory Space Elevator Phase 2: Infrastructure and planning

To progress the Space Elevator you will need materials that unlock in Tier 3 and Tier 4. Their production takes time, so it is worth putting serious thought into your factory layout.

For Phase 2 you need:

• 1000x Smart Plating
• 1000x Versatile Framework
• 100x Automated Wiring

The two materials you need a thousand of can take a considerable amount of time. Either scale up your factory or keep yourself busy with other tasks while they run.

It is also worth checking the AWESOME Shop and the MAM for advantages. In the AWESOME Shop you can buy new foundations and better logistics for building a production line (Satisfactory AWESOME Sink & Shop: How to farm coupons quickly) . MAM research is great for alternate recipes that can help you skip or simplify parts of the following sections (Satisfactory MAM Guide: Research, Hard Drives & Best Recipes) .

Also make use of what Tier 3 and Tier 4 give you:

• Expand your coal power to secure enough electricity.
• Use Trucks if you have separate sites.
• Use Mk. 3 conveyor belts for faster transport.

Smart Plating in Satisfactory: Scale up production

You already produced Smart Plating for Phase 1 — but only 50 units. A thousand is far more demanding, so it is worth expanding this production line. With just a single line, producing everything would otherwise take around 16 hours.

You only need Iron Ore, but you must split it into two lines. Produce Iron Plates on one, Iron Rods on the other. Convert Rods into Screws. Combine Screws and Plates into Reinforced Iron Plates, while some Screws and Rods go into Rotors. Finally, feed Reinforced Iron Plates and Rotors into an Assembler to make Smart Plating.

For this section, alternate recipes can really pay off. Unlock them with hard drives in the MAM. Look out for:

• Screws directly from Iron Ingots (instead of from Iron Rods)
• Improved recipes for Iron Plates
• Reinforced Iron Plates made with wire

Producing Versatile Framework: Optimise steel and frames

The most time-consuming part of this phase is producing 1000 Versatile Framework. You unlock it in Tier 3 with basic steel production, and it requires multiple inputs, which can be slow to set up. At the same time, you will be laying the foundation of your later factory, because steel production underpins many milestones and phases.

• On one side, produce Steel Ingots from Coal and Iron Ore. Convert them into Steel Beams for later.
• On the other side, smelt Iron Ore into Iron Ingots and split into two lines: produce both Iron Plates and Iron Rods. Turn rods into Screws, then combine with plates into Reinforced Iron Plates. These, together with rods, make Modular Frames. Finally, combine the Steel Beams and Modular Frames into Versatile Framework.

Helpful alternate recipes to simplify this include:

• Modular Frames made directly with Screws instead of rods
• Improved steel recipes (e.g. Solid Steel Ingot)
• Steel Ingots made from Iron Ingots

You will need Versatile Framework again in later phases, so it is wise to produce it at scale. The MAM can help here too — with Power Slugs you can unlock overclocking, which boosts your throughput significantly.

Crafting Automated Wiring: Efficient Stators and cable

In Tier 4 with advanced steel production you unlock the final part for the Space Elevator. Automated Wiring is straightforward and quick to produce, even with just one production line. You only need 100 units, which is far more manageable than the previous materials.

Your inputs here are iron, coal and copper. Turn Copper Ore into Ingots, then Wire, then Cable — you likely have this set up already, as cable and wire underpin many recipes. From iron and coal, produce steel, then Steel Pipes. Combine Steel Pipes and wire in an Assembler to make Stators. Finally, combine the Stators with Cable into Automated Wiring.

This part of Phase 2 is quite simple, but you will only unlock it towards the end of Tier 4. By then, your Smart Plating and Versatile Framework lines should be in full swing. You do not strictly need a full automated line here — you can also craft the 100 Automated Wiring by hand from 2,000 Cable and 100 Stators. You probably already have those materials on hand.

Conclusion: Finish Space Elevator Phase 2 and reach Tiers 5 and 6

The Space Elevator is a crucial linchpin throughout your Satisfactory playthrough. It dictates how far ahead you can build and which milestones become available next. Once you complete Phase 2, you can focus on Tier 5 and Tier 6. The Smart Plating and especially Versatile Framework lines will remain important in later phases. If needed, you can also craft the remaining Automated Wiring by hand.

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