Moon Sweepers Automatic Capsule Selling: What Can Be Automated?

Quick answer

A J.O.O.N.A.S. robot plus a Capsule Catcher can turn cleaning into automatic income. J.O.O.N.A.S. fires 20 kg capsules at the nearest catcher from anywhere on the Moon. With no belt on the catcher's output, the dust goes to the station and is paid automatically. With a belt, the catcher releases 1 kg capsules that can be sold or processed downstream.

Moon Sweepers v1.0.4 · PC / Steam · J.O.O.N.A.S., Capsule Catcher and belts Checked 28 Oct 2026

The catcher is the handoff between a moving robot and a fixed station or factory.

What is automatic

Which steps can run without you

Automatic and manual steps
Step	Automatic?	What makes it work
Cleaning	Yes, after buying J.O.O.N.A.S.	The robot goes to the nearest dusty region and cleans one hex at a time.
Packing robot dust	Yes	J.O.O.N.A.S. fires its bin as 20 kg capsules.
Catching capsules	Yes, with a Catcher	The catcher takes capsules from anywhere on the Moon.
Paying dust	Yes, if the catcher has no output belt	The catcher sends dust to the station and it is paid automatically.
Processing into sand or stone	Only with a belt and machines	Add a belt, pressure chamber, stone press and power.
Building and powering the chain	No	You buy and place everything; power must be in range.

The official 1.0.4 patch confirms the robot behavior and the 100 kg catcher. The build-menu data adds the payment path: a catcher with no belt pays the dust at once; a catcher with a belt outputs 1 kg capsules. That distinction is the part most likely to be missed.

Minimum loop

The minimum robot-to-payment loop

01

Buy and place a Capsule Catcher

The Catcher is in Services for $1,500. It has a 100 kg store and one output. A J.O.O.N.A.S. with no catcher waits with a full bin, so place the catcher first.
02

Buy J.O.O.N.A.S.

J.O.O.N.A.S. costs $20,000 and cleans the whole Moon one hex at a time. It fires its dust at the nearest catcher, including from far away.
03

Keep the catcher output clear or belt it

With no belt, the catcher passes the dust to the station and it is paid automatically. With a belt, it produces 1 kg capsules. Choose one path; a blocked output is a stalled chain.
04

Check the robot state

Aim at J.O.O.N.A.S. to see its panel. If it is waiting with a full bin, the catcher is missing, full or not accepting capsules.

Belt decisions

Catcher with a belt versus without a belt

Two valid catcher outputs
Setup	What happens	Best for	Downside
No output belt	Dust is sent to the station and paid automatically.	Simple endgame income with the least infrastructure.	No processing into sand or stone; the catcher is only a seller.
Belt to a station	Catcher releases 1 kg capsules; the station pays as they arrive.	Long belt runs and shared factory lines.	Belts can bottleneck at 88 capsules per minute.
Belt to a pressure chamber	Capsules feed sand production, then stone.	Maximum value per kilogram.	Needs power, machines and a reliable input split.

The catcher can hold 100 kg. If the output is blocked, it eventually fills. Watch the catcher and the receiving belt before blaming J.O.O.N.A.S. The robot's own bin is 60 kg.

Diagnosis

How to isolate a final-sale failure from an upstream blockage

Stall diagnosis
Symptom	First check	Next check
No money arrives	Is the catcher connected to a station or holding no-belt output?	Is the station intake full or blocked?
Catcher fills	Is its output belt moving?	Is the receiving machine accepting 1 kg capsules?
J.O.O.N.A.S. waits with a full bin	Is a catcher built?	Is the catcher within the robot's targeting logic and not full?
Sand or stone stops	Does the machine have power?	Is the belt carrying the right capsule type and input?
Belt is full	Is the line making more than 88 capsules per minute?	Add a parallel branch or slow the source.

Complete automation The full chain from hand dust to a running factory. Pressure Chamber Rates, power and output checks for the first processing machine.

Straight answers

Questions about this task

Can I sell capsules automatically?

Yes. A Capsule Catcher with no output belt sends its dust to the station and it is paid automatically. With a belt, it outputs 1 kg capsules; a belt into a station sells them as they arrive.

How much does the automatic cleaning setup cost?

J.O.O.N.A.S. is $20,000 and the Capsule Catcher is $1,500. Belts, power and processing are extra. This is an endgame build, not a first-hour purchase.

Why is the capsule catcher not selling?

Check its output: a blocked belt, a full receiving machine or a missing station connection stops the chain. If you want immediate payment, remove the output belt so the catcher sends dust to the station directly.

Trace the answer

Sources and scope

This is an independent, source-led guide, not a first-hand playtest. Gameplay values, build-menu details and UI behavior are checked against the 1.0.4 data snapshot and official patch notes. Your installed build is the final authority.

← All guides by task Moon Sweepers Wiki home

Which steps can run without you

The minimum robot-to-payment loop

Buy and place a Capsule Catcher

Buy J.O.O.N.A.S.

Keep the catcher output clear or belt it

Check the robot state