Science Packs are the core progression mechanic in Factorio. Each pack represents a branch of research. This guide covers all 7 science pack tiers, their exact recipes, production ratios, and the recommended research order.
Quick tip: Build science pack assemblers before you need the science, not after. Running out of science mid-game is one of the most common early mistakes.
Complete Production Chain Diagram
The diagram above shows how all 7 science tiers connect. Click to enlarge. The arrows show recipe flow — each arrow represents a crafting operation.
Science Pack Recipes
Red Science Pack (Automation)
The first science pack you produce. Unlocks basic automation and logistic research.
Assembler: Assembling Machine 1 Crafting Time: 5 seconds Stack Size: 200
| Input | Quantity | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Iron Gear Wheel | 1 | Iron Plate × 2 |
| Copper Plate | 1 | Smelting |
Ratio: 1 assembler produces 1 red pack every 5 seconds. Build 5-10 assemblers to feed early-game research.
Green Science Pack (Logistics)
Unlocks logistics research: inserters, belts, circuits, and the logistic system.
Assembler: Assembling Machine 1 (upgrade to 2 later) Crafting Time: 6 seconds Stack Size: 200
| Input | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Inserter | 1 | 1 iron gear + 1 green circuit + 1 iron plate |
| Transport Belt | 1 | 1 iron plate |
Ratio: 1 inserter assembler supports 12 science assemblers. 1 belt assembler supports 24.
Military Science Pack (Military)
Unlocks combat and defense research.
Assembler: Assembling Machine 2 Crafting Time: 10 seconds Stack Size: 200
| Input | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Piercing Rounds Magazine | 1 | Steel + copper + iron |
| Grenade | 1 | Iron + coal |
| Wall | 1 | Stone bricks |
Note: Military science requires steel production. Research steel processing before scaling military science.
Blue Science Pack (Chemical)
Introduces fluid-based production. Requires oil processing for plastic (needed for red circuits) and sulfur.
Assembler: Assembling Machine 2 (upgrade to 3 later) Crafting Time: 12 seconds Stack Size: 200
| Input | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Circuit | 1 | Red circuit: plastic + copper + green circuits |
| Engine Unit | 1 | Steel + iron gears + pipe |
Ratio: 1 engine assembler supports about 2.5 science assemblers. Build at least 2 engine assemblers for every 5 blue science assemblers.
Purple Science Pack (Production)
Unlocks production modules, beacons, and late-game technologies.
Assembler: Assembling Machine 3 Crafting Time: 14 seconds Stack Size: 200
| Input | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Electric Furnace | 1 | Steel + circuits + stone brick |
| Productivity Module 1 | 1 | Green circuits + plastic |
| Rail | 30 | Steel + stone |
Note: Purple science is the most expensive per-pack in raw resources. Build a dedicated sub-factory rather than adding to the main bus.
Yellow Science Pack (Utility)
Unlocks utility research: nuclear power, logistics bots, and advanced module technologies.
Assembler: Assembling Machine 3 Crafting Time: 16 seconds Stack Size: 200
| Input | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Processing Unit | 2 | Blue circuit: red circuits + green circuits |
| Electric Engine Unit | 1 | Engine + electric motor + lubricant |
| Battery | 1 | Iron + sulfuric acid + copper |
Bottleneck: Processing Units. Build a dedicated blue circuit line before scaling yellow science. Each blue circuit consumes 20 green circuits and 2 red circuits.
Space Science Pack (Rocket)
Produced by launching rockets. Requires the most infrastructure of any science pack.
Building: Rocket Silo Launch Time: ~70 seconds per rocket Output: 100 Space Science per rocket launch
| Component | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rocket Control Unit | 10 | Blue circuit + processing unit |
| Rocket Fuel | 10 | Solid fuel + light oil |
| Low Density Structure | 10 | Copper plate + steel + plastic |
| Satellite | 1 | Solar panels + processing unit + batteries |
Ratio: 1 rocket = 100 science. For 100 SPM of space science, you need to launch 1 rocket per minute.
Production Ratio Quick Reference
For 1 SPM of each science pack (at 60 SPM total):
| Science Pack | Assemblers Needed | Key Input/min |
|---|---|---|
| Red | 5 | 5 iron + 5 copper |
| Green | 10 | 10 inserters + 10 belts |
| Military | 1.67 | ~1.7 piercing rounds |
| Blue | 5 | 5 engine units + 5 red circuits |
| Purple | 4.29 | ~4.3 prod modules + ~129 rails |
| Yellow | 3.75 | 7.5 processing units |
| Space | ~1 rocket/min | Satellite + rocket parts |
Recommended Research Order
Common Mistakes
Building science packs on the main bus. Blue science and above are too complex for the main bus. Build them as standalone factory units fed by dedicated sub-factories.
Use a bot-based mall. For everything except raw ore smelting, build your mall using requestor chests + logistic bots. It's faster to set up and easier to expand.
Related Guides
- Production Ratios — Smelting, circuit, and science ratios with math
- Getting Started — First hour guide including early science setup
- Base Design — Main bus vs city blocks for science production