Satellites

Satellites are generated every 2.5 minutes from planet Proxima (the starting planet). The satellite type is known during those 2.5 minutes, and all teams receive the same satellite type at the same time. In order to benefit from a satellite, a ship must land on the satellite, "Tether" to it, and then drag it to the planet they want to be impacted. Multiple teammates can tether to a satellite, which increases movement speed. Players cannot tether onto another team's satellite.

Green player drags a tethered satellite.

Multiple satellites can be installed on one planet (except shielded planets, which disallow satellites), but any given team can only use one satellite per planet. Some satellites' effects do not "stack", which means placing a second satellite of the same type would have no strategic value, but is still possible. When a tethered satellite crosses the orbit of a planet, it will be automatically placed in orbit. Satellites in orbit cannot be moved.

A satellite in orbit on Proxima-2.

Satellite Types

• Growth: Adds +1x to the yield multiplier of a planet (a normal planet will become 2x, a 2x planet will become 3x, etc).
  A growth satellite in action. Note that the planet marker on the minimap changes from a normal planet to a double planet.

• Entropy: Destroys 1 base plot every 10 seconds. If all standard plots are destroyed, it will attack fortified plots.
  An entropy satellite in action.

• Eden: Builds 1 plot every 8 seconds, until all plots are filled. This satellite can also create plots on uninhabitable planets, up to a maximum based on the size of the planet (24 plots on a large planet).
• Extraction: Destroys the planet and converts all plots to AP and awards those AP to the satellite owner.
• Levy: Gives 50% of the total yield of the planet to the satellite owner, irrespective of control tax. If a second satellite is placed by another team, the 50% levy is split (25% to Team A, 25% to Team B), not increased.
• Market: The yield of each plot is multiplied by the number of teams currently landed on the planet (eg, if three teams visit the planet, each plot yields 30). An entropy satellite in action.
  
  A market satellite in action.
• Tax: Increases control tax from 20% to 80%. The tax continues to benefit whichever team controls the most plots on the planet.
• Metro: If all plots on the planet are filled, the satellite "resets" all plots, increases the planet's multiplier, and creates one fortified capitol plot for the team which controlled the planet at the time of reset. The capitol is immune to the impacts of entropy satellites.