Sweep The Moon Passive Income: Solar Panels and Oxygen Garden

The first Solar Panel is the better low-budget purchase. It starts paying for a much smaller investment, and its payment goes to every crew member.

Opening the garden makes it accessible to the whole crew, but plants are separate purchases. Save enough for both the entrance cost and your first plant before choosing it as your next income investment.

Once you own either facility, compare its next expansion rather than judging every purchase by the starting price. See the co-op guide for broader crew income and facility-sharing rules.

1. Approach a blue Solar Panel construction preview at the base.
2. Press E to open the construction menu.
3. Select BUILD to pay for the panel.
4. Use the next construction preview when you want to expand. You can build up to 5 panels.

The payment column is the combined payout for that panel count. With two panels, each crew member receives 2.00 Cash every 5 seconds; adding the third raises that total to 4.50 Cash.

The construction offers for the first three panels display an estimated payback of about 4 minutes. Treat this as the menu's estimate when weighing the purchase.

1. Approach the Oxygen Garden purchase point and press E to buy it for 250 Cash. The garden opens to the whole crew.
2. Enter the garden and approach its terminal.
3. Press E at the terminal to buy a plant. The first costs 40 Cash.
4. Continue purchasing plants to increase income, up to 12 plants.

Plant prices and income

Later plants have higher individual income rates:

• Fifth plant: 0.27 Cash/second, offered when 4 of 12 plants are planted.
• Eighth plant: 0.90 Cash/second, offered when 7 of 12 plants are planted.
• Ninth plant: 1.35 Cash/second.

Read NEXT PAYS as the income from the next individual plant, not the combined garden income. Use the planted count alongside that rate to identify the purchase you are making.

If a plant purchase fails because you lack Cash, earn more before returning to the terminal. Buying access to the garden does not cover subsequent plant purchases.

• Starting with little Cash: buy the first Solar Panel to activate passive income with a small upfront payment.
• Considering a new garden: budget for opening it and buying plants together. Spending your entire balance on access leaves you needing more Cash before you can plant anything.
• Expanding existing facilities: compare the next purchase price with the extra income it adds. For panels, use the difference between the current and upgraded total payout. For plants, use the next plant's individual rate. Put both rates on the same time basis before comparing them.
• Short on purchase money: keep cleaning and selling dust to fund the next expansion. The money guide explains selling and Cash income; the automation setup guide covers building a dust collection and processing system.

If you are also considering a separate Cash-bonus investment, compare the options in the Radio Towers and Big Digger guide.