Calculation of Spaceship Arrival Time

Does anyone know the exact formula?

I have a bunch of data, and it looks like it's a multivariable equation (duh!) but that it's also a "step function" based on the number of engines.

For example, it's pretty clear that


But if there is 1 engine, there is a different formula, and I suspect there are 8 different formulas for having 1-8 engines.

For a fully loaded, 40,000 citizen SS, the earliest possible launch date is 1,490AD, because it takes 15.2 years to arrive, and you don't start counting by fives until 1,500AD

By trial and error, I recently found a combination that can be launched as early as 1,000AD, since this one takes exactly 10.0 years to arrive.

5 "Central Structural" @ 200 Tons (these are the ones that support the "Control Pod")
28 "normal" Structural @ 100 Tons (33 total structurals @ 3,800 Tons)
8 Fuel @ 400 Tons
8 Propulsion @ 400 Tons
1 Habitation @ 1600 Tons
2 Support @ 1600 Tons
3 Solar @ 400 Tons
16,200 Tons total


I haven't yet figured out how to make one arrive in exactly 20.0 years, if so, it could be launched at any point in the game...

I have no idea, since I don't usually try spacerace victory, and I don't use such calculations. But I do think it's an interesting coincidence that the earliest launch for a full colonization spaceship is 1490- almost the date of Columbus' colonization ships' launch!

Still collecting more data, and haven't unlocked the formula(s) yet, but I did stumble upon a 20-year Spaceship.

5 "Central Structural" @ 200 Tons (these are the ones that support the "Control Pod")
22 "normal" Structural @ 100 Tons (27 total structurals @ 3,200 Tons)
2 Fuel @ 400 Tons
2 Propulsion @ 400 Tons
1 Habitation @ 1600 Tons
1 Support @ 1600 Tons
1 Solar @ 400 Tons
8,400 Tons total

This one arrives in exactly 20.0 years at 95% probability of arrival, so it can be launched at any point in the game. I just launched it in 860AD and it arrived immediately as soon as I ended the turn! That was deff the fastest SS arrival ever!

As far as I can tell, the absolute shortest successful arrival time (in years, not turns) is 8-years (25,8,8,1,1,1), and if you ever need one (29,8,8,1,1,1) will arrive in 9 years.

If I ever figure out the exact formula(s), I'll post them here.

Sometimes on king difficulty I would launch at 1380AD, and it wouldn't arrive at all, 10 years, 15, 20, 50 years later it wouldn't arrive, strange...

It's because it has to be launched so that it can arrive in an even number of turns.

A fully loaded SS takes 15.1 years to arrive, but in 1380 you are still counting in 10 year turns, so it takes 1.5 turns and never arrives.

The earliest you can launch is 1490, and it will arrive in 1505 (2 turns = 10+5). If you wait to launch until 1500, then it will arrive in 1515 (3 turns = 5+5+5)

If you wait until 1750, again, it will never arrive, since you now have 2-year turns (it will take 7.5 turns and never arrive), so you have to wait until 1836 and it will arrive in 1851 (8 turns = 2+2+2+2+2+2+2+1)

Clear as mud?!

I realize I'm *very* late to this post, but anyways...

The best SpaceShip I've found so far that can be launched prior to 1000AD is:

22 structural
4 propulsion
4 fuel
3 habitation
3 life support
3 solar panel

This ship will land in 20.3 years (which means 20 years, since it is apparently always rounded down) with 95% survival rate (success %). The reason this is "the best" is it'll get you 142 SpaceShip points (of a possible 150). These points are calculated like so:

number of habitation modules multiplied by 50, multiplied by the survival rate, rounded down

Click to expand...

This is actually the highest scoring ship prior to 1490AD that I've found. The highest, afterwards, is of course a fully loaded, 15.2 years travel time, 200 points ship.

The fastest ship, year-wise, that I've found:

19 structural
8 propulsion
8 fuel
1 habitation
1 life support
1 solar panel

It lands in 7.6 years with 100% survival - 50 points. The structurals were built last; the bottom-most engine doesn't appear to be attached to anything, but still shows in the picture as functional.

How did you guys get the spaceship launched at 1380 or even 1490?

reddishrecue said:

How did you guys get the spaceship launched at 1380 or even 1490?

Click to expand...

You can launch any time the launch button is available. The fewest parts you need to launch (I believe) are a habitat module and 3 structurals. It will land in 110 years with 0% success - it'll still land, but you won't get any SpaceShip points in your final score.

Are you asking how to be advanced enough to launch that early?

I found a spaceship which needs 25 parts and lands in 20 years. Its mainly useful if you want to launch in BC.
It can be build with only 25 cities in one turn, if you have the resources prepared.

15 structural
2 propulsion
5 fuel
1 habitation
1 life support
1 solar panel

(The image shows 17 structurals, which I used, but with 15 it has a clean 20 years flight time)