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How to Land on the Moon in Astrofall — Beginner Tips

4 min read Published 2026-05-15
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Why Moon is the best starting world

Moon has the lowest gravity of any world with a solid surface in Astrofall — 1.62 m/s². That means you fall slowly, have more time to correct, and can survive higher approach speeds than on heavier worlds.

The terrain is "crater bowls and forgiving pads," which means the landing zone is wide and relatively flat. Combined with the Basic Lander's stable handling, this is the most forgiving combination in the game.

Landing limits you need to know

ParameterSafe limitWhat happens if exceeded
Vertical speed (V)< 5.0 m/sHard landing → crash
Horizontal speed (H)< 3.0 m/sSlide → tip over
Tilt angle< 15°Topple on contact

The 3-step landing strategy

Phase 1: Free fall (altitude 500m → 200m)

Let gravity pull you down. Don't thrust yet. Watch your vertical speed — it should climb gradually.

Phase 2: Brake (altitude 200m → 50m)

Start tapping thrust to slow your descent. Aim to reach 50m altitude with vertical speed under 8 m/s. If you're above 10 m/s at 50m, you'll run out of room to brake.

Phase 3: Final approach (altitude 50m → 0m)

Gentle, controlled thrusts. Keep vertical speed under 5 m/s and tilt under 15°. Use left/right only if you're drifting off the pad.

Common mistakes on Moon

Thrusting too early: Wastes fuel at high altitude where gravity is doing the work for free.

Over-correcting tilt: Small taps are enough on Moon. Large corrections create oscillation that's hard to stop.

Ignoring horizontal drift: Even on Moon, a 4+ m/s horizontal speed at touchdown will tip the lander.

Next worlds to try

After mastering Moon, try Ceres (0.27 m/s² — even lower gravity but drifty controls) or Europa (1.31 m/s² — ice terrain with tighter pads). Both are part of the free tier.

For a serious challenge, the ALL Pass ($3.99) unlocks Mars (3.71 m/s²), Earth (9.80 m/s²), and the extreme-gravity worlds beyond.