Becoming Grand Imperator of Sol isn't simple, and you'll have a hard time doing it on your own. Plenty of other folks would happily take that title, so you're going to need all sorts of technology in order to cause those folks to stop existing, protect yourself from those who want you to stop existing, and reward those who support your rightful claim with happy, comfortable lives.
Whether you're blazing a path of destruction or creating an interplanetary utopia, you'll inevitably need collections of brain power known as Research Labs.
Research Labs (henceforth simply Labs) are key to becoming an advanced, interplanetary civilization. They'll delve ever deeper into the mysteries of the universe, exploiting that knowledge to unlock ever more advanced technologies.
Labs are capable of two ****fundamentally different operations: Theory Research and Development Projects.
Theory Research **encompasses a variety of scientific disciplines, from physics and biology to psychology and sociology. Labs work passively on Theory Research in their selected fields, and each one contributes to your overall understanding of a field. You can pick and choose which Labs work in which fields at any time; it's as easy as toggling a button.
Before you can develop a nuclear pulse drive, you must first understand nuclear physics. Investing in Theory Research unlocks ever more advanced classes of Development Projects. In other words, you won't be able to produce a fancy Alcubierre Drive right off the bat, but once you've reached a sufficient level of theoretical understanding, you can undertake that project.
Head over to 🚧 Theory Research to learn more.
By default, Labs will split up their work equally between all Theory fields they have activated, but you can adjust this according to your needs with a simple slider. So for example, if you still want Space Harvard to work on Biology, but you really need them to focus more on Physics, it's as easy as adjusting a slider.
Anyone can understand quantum mechanics (it's quite simple, really), but how do you apply that knowledge to create particle weapons, orbital colonies, efficient hydroponics or any other physical asset that can aid you in your interplanetary exploits?
The answer is Development Projects. These **are how you put theory research to use out in the System. Once you've got a solid grasp of the theory, you can exploit it to develop all sorts of new technology.
Development Projects are designed by you. Channel your inner Elon Musk and become both CEO and Chief Engineer of your national research programs. While you'll be the one sketching out your new Orion Drive (presumably on a napkin), your Labs are who will take that sketch and turn it into a real, production-ready design. You can read more about them over at Development Projects.
Labs have two main metrics that you need to care about in order to keep them from falling into scientific despair, Funding and Expertise.