Building a Basic Rocket with the NASA Workbench

Gathering Parts

Before opening the NASA Workbench, craft the following: Iron Plate, Iron Rod, Desh Plate, Compressed Steel, Compressed Desh, and a Calorite Engine or Desh Engine. You will also need a Fuel Bucket to charge the finished rocket.

Using the NASA Workbench

The NASA Workbench is a dedicated crafting station. Place it in your base and right-click to open its interface. It accepts only the parts listed in its recipe slots; loose ingots will not fit. Insert the engine, plating, and frame components in the order the interface highlights.

Assembling the Rocket

Combine the Engine Frame, Engine Fan, and your chosen Engine to form the propulsion block. Attach Iron Plating or Desh Plating Block around the frame to build the hull. The workbench will not accept a rocket that lacks an engine or fuel tank.

Launching

Place the finished rocket on open ground. Right-click with a Fuel Bucket to fill the tank. Enter the rocket and press the launch key. The rocket consumes Fuel during ascent; if the tank empties before you reach orbit, the launch aborts and you fall back to the surface.