description: A practical Orbit Foundry browser-demo guide, from Extractor placement and reactor pulses to Helios Array, the Singularity Loom and the October 22 offline-production update.
To progress in Orbit Foundry, build Stardust production with your starting Extractor, compare neighboring output before buying each placement, and use well-timed reactor pulses. Add a Refinery for Alloy, unlock automation, then perform your first Reforge before trying to reach Helios Array. The campaign goal is to clear four sectors and three Directives, build the Singularity Loom and create a star. Exact resource thresholds have not been independently replayed.
Walkthrough from the first machine to campaign completion
| When | Action | Expected result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | Launch the free desktop-browser build; keep the guided tutorial on | Begin with one Extractor and Stardust | Game, patch |
| Before placement | Hover across open slots; compare changes to every affected neighbor | Choose the larger total Stardust/Alloy increase | Oct 22 patch |
| Charged reactor | Press Space or the reactor button on the timing window | A production burst | Developer guide |
| Alloy bottleneck | Build/upgrade Refineries; inspect Solar Sail neighbors and Alloy upgrades | Refineries continuously generate Alloy in the latest build | Oct 22 patch |
| Automation unlocked | Enable the appropriate controls in the separate automation panel | Routine production and eligible pulses run automatically | Guide, patch |
| First Reforge available | Inspect the reset and Star Core preview, then confirm | Persistent upgrades and access prerequisite for Helios Array | Oct 15 patch |
| Campaign expansion | Follow the in-game targets through four sectors and three Directives | Progress toward the Singularity Loom | Game, Steam |
| Final campaign goal | Assemble the Singularity Loom and create a star | Campaign completion, followed by Open Orbit play | Game |
Controls and placement decisions
Use the mouse to buy and place modules, Space for pulses, Tab to switch panels, and the mouse wheel or Page Up/Page Down to scroll. The developer recommends a desktop browser and fullscreen; mobile is not supported yet. The October 22 placement tooltip reports before-and-after production for affected neighbors, including averaged Drone copying and periodic bonuses. Compare the whole layout's change, not just a single module's output.
Why Helios Array stays locked
The October 15 update explicitly requires one Reforge before traveling to Helios Array. Check the Reforge preview first: it distinguishes what resets from permanent Star Core rewards. The first Reforge also unlocks ×10/MAX buying; record-based blueprints make previously reached levels cheaper to rebuild. Three connected-layout milestones can stack to ×8 production, according to the September 11 notes. These are progression tools, not a guaranteed optimal layout.
At Helios IV, a charged pulse has a 20% chance to reveal a cyan Ultimate window. Hitting that window manually earns three times the equivalent Perfect-pulse reward. The 20% describes window appearance, not your accuracy. Timing assistance is available in the settings.
Important October 22 change: offline progress
Older guides can mislead you here. The current build credits up to eight hours of production while the browser is closed: passive Stardust, continuous Refinery Alloy, Drone production, and Normal Auto-Pulses if unlocked and enabled. It does not purchase upgrades, research, or trigger Auto-Reforge offline. The former Sleep Mode entry button is hidden. Returns of at least ten seconds show a report. Because saves live in your browser, use Settings → Export Backup before updates.
What is confirmed and what is not
The practical route is placement preview → pulse → Alloy → automation → first Reforge → sectors/Directives → Singularity Loom. The precise per-Directive costs, best universal module pattern, and final in-game sequence were not verified by hands-on play. This guide uses developer materials available on October 23, 2026.
