⚠️ Early Access Notice
Last verified: June 2026 Early Access build. Default keybinds and control behaviour may change with patches. Check the in-game settings menu for your current bindings.
Starminer Uses Newtonian Movement
Starminer is not an arcade flight game. Your ship obeys Newtonian physics: releasing the movement keys does not automatically stop the ship. If you accelerate in one direction, you keep moving in that direction until an opposing force stops you.
This is the #1 reason new players feel like the ship is "broken." It is not broken — it is doing exactly what real physics dictates. You need to learn how to control it.
What Is 6DOF Movement?
6DOF (six degrees of freedom) means your ship can move independently along three axes and rotate around three axes:
| Axis | Movement | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Forward/Back | Thrust | Move along your ship's facing direction |
| Left/Right | Strafe | Slide sideways without turning |
| Up/Down | Vertical strafe | Move up or down without pitching |
| Pitch | Rotation | Nose up/down |
| Yaw | Rotation | Nose left/right |
| Roll | Rotation | Spin around forward axis |
This means you can fly sideways while facing forward, drift past an asteroid while mining, or orbit a station while keeping your weapons trained on it. It is powerful — but it also means you can lose control fast.
Dampeners — Your Most Important Control
Dampeners are thrusters that automatically counter your velocity. They come in two types:
- Linear dampeners — stop your forward/back, left/right, and up/down movement. Press Space to engage them. This is your brake.
- Rotational dampeners — stop your ship from spinning (pitch, yaw, roll).
If your ship is drifting, tap Space. This kills your velocity and brings you to a stop. If dampeners feel weak, it is usually because of Low Energy — dampeners need power to work.
Check Your Keybinds
Default keybinds can vary between builds. Open the in-game settings menu to verify:
- Linear dampener (brake): usually Space
- Rotational dampener toggle: check settings
- Thrust forward/back: usually W/S
- Strafe left/right: usually A/D
- Vertical strafe up/down: check settings (often Q/E or Ctrl/Space)
- Roll left/right: check settings
Why Is My Ship Drifting?
Ship drifting happens when velocity continues after you release movement keys. Common causes:
- Newtonian physics (normal) — this is how the game works. Tap Space to brake.
- Dampeners are off — check that linear dampeners are toggled on.
- Low Energy — dampeners draw power. If your grid is weak, dampeners are weak. Add more solar panels or batteries.
- Too much cargo mass — a heavily loaded ship has more inertia. It takes longer to accelerate and longer to stop. Check your cargo weight.
Why Is My Ship Spinning Uncontrollably?
Uncontrolled spinning is usually a ship design problem, not a control problem:
- Asymmetrical thruster placement — thrusters must be placed in mirrored pairs. If you add a thruster to the left side without matching it on the right, your ship spins when you thrust.
- Center of mass is off — adding heavy modules to one side of the ship shifts the center of mass. Thrusters that were balanced before are now off-center. Check your ship layout in the build view.
- Rotational dampeners are off — toggle them back on. If they were on but are not working, check power.
- Ship is too long or unbalanced — long, narrow ships are harder to stabilise. Keep early ships compact.
Heavy Ship Handling
As you add modules and cargo, your ship gets heavier. Heavier ships:
- Accelerate more slowly — you need more thrust to achieve the same speed
- Take longer to stop — more mass means more inertia. Dampeners work harder, drawing more power
- Turn more slowly — rotational thrusters need to overcome greater moment of inertia
If your ship was agile at the start but now feels sluggish after adding modules, check your mass in the ship info panel. Consider adding more thrusters — in balanced pairs — or stripping unnecessary modules.
FAQ
Why does my ship keep drifting after I let go of the keys?
This is normal Newtonian movement. Tap Space to engage dampeners and kill velocity. If Space does not help, check your energy panel — dampeners need power.
How do I stop my ship from spinning?
First, check that rotational dampeners are on. If they are on but spinning persists, check your ship design: are thrusters placed in mirrored pairs? Is the center of mass balanced?
Why do dampeners feel weak?
Most likely Low Energy. Dampeners draw power proportional to the force they need to counter. A heavy ship with a weak power grid will have weak dampeners. Add more power generation.
What does 6DOF mean?
Six degrees of freedom — your ship can move independently in three directions (forward/back, left/right, up/down) and rotate around three axes (pitch, yaw, roll). This gives you full spatial control but also means you need to manage all six axes.
Can I customise my keybinds?
Yes. Open the in-game settings menu. Starminer supports rebinding for flight, mining, building, combat, and UI controls.
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