"Carries supplies or passengers from Earth. Can travel back to Earth when refueled."
Rockets are used to deliver supplies all the way from Earth or bring colonists which have applied for a life on Mars. They are reusable, and once having refueled on Mars, can bring Rare Metals back to Earth for monetary gains. Players start with five rockets that can be used simultaneously.
The Rocket commands nearby drones. It also contaminates nearby buildings and drones within 6 hexes with dust when landing and taking off. Rockets gain 1 fuel every 9 hours.
Payload[]
Rockets require fuel for the return trip to Earth. Also you can send them on expeditions but they may require extra inventory such as: RC Explorer, RC Transport, Drones, Colonists, resources, or just more fuel. If you are going to send a rocket back to Earth, you can send up to 30 Rare Metals back to gain funding.
Automated Mode[]
If Automated mode is activated the rocket will continuously travel to Earth and back never taking imports or colonists back to Mars. It will always land in the same spot and while in flight that spot will be "reserved".
Background[]
Space rockets have a far greater role to play in the mission of establishing a permanent colony on Mars then merely bringing the first colonists there. Until the colony can truly sustain itself, it will always be dependent on Earth for vital resources and the flow of colonists.
Although quite expensive, reusable rocket technology has already been mastered to a degree such that agencies can have a rocket back in space within the same day of landing on either world.