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// monument tier
Tier 1 — Green Card

Entry-level puzzle monuments. A single green keycard and one fuse opens the loot room. Low or no scientist presence, low radiation, and component / mid-tier loot perfect for early wipe.

Fast facts

Keycards1× Green (puzzle uses Green; reward is a Blue Keycard)
Fuses required1
Scientists / NPCs0
RadiationLow (basic clothing protection sufficient)
RecyclerYes (×1)
WorkbenchNone
Research tableYes

Satellite Dish is the elevated green-card Tier 1 monument — a hilltop installation with a massive central dish, a quick puzzle, and excellent surrounding sightlines. The puzzle reward is a Blue Keycard (the next-tier card you'll need at Airfield or Trainyard) plus basic-tier loot — barrels, basic crates, and components. Notably no Military Crates or Elite Crates spawn here. Has a recycler and a research table on-site.

Satellite Dish puzzle walkthrough

One of the simplest puzzles in the game:

  1. Find the fuse box — on the side of the small control building beside the dish. Insert one electrical fuse.
  2. Swipe the green keycard — on the puzzle door.
  3. Collect the Blue Keycard — inside the puzzle room, plus basic crates and barrels.
  4. Use the on-site recycler — beside the control building.
  5. Use the on-site research table — Satellite Dish has the only research table on a Tier 1 monument; useful for cheap blueprint conversion.
  6. Sweep the surrounding crates — multiple basic wooden crates spawn around the dish base.

Note: Satellite Dish does not spawn Military Crates or Elite Crates. The reward is the blue keycard plus low-tier component loot. Don't expect rifle blueprints out of this run.

Why Satellite Dish gets contested

The hilltop position offers a 360-degree view of incoming threats — making it a popular wipe-day camping spot. Mid-to-late wipe, expect:

If you spot another team nearby, consider waiting and looting after they leave rather than fighting up the slope.

💡 Pro tips

Frequently asked questions

What keycard does Satellite Dish need?

A single green keycard plus one electrical fuse. The puzzle reward is a Blue Keycard.

Does Satellite Dish drop an Elite Crate?

No — Satellite Dish does not spawn Military Crates or Elite Crates. The puzzle reward is a Blue Keycard plus basic crates and barrels for components. For elite-tier loot, head to The Dome or Airfield.

Is there radiation at Satellite Dish?

Low radiation — basic clothing (burlap-tier or above) provides enough protection. No full hazmat needed.

Are there scientists at Satellite Dish?

No NPC defenders. The danger comes purely from other players using the elevated position to ambush.

Does Satellite Dish have a research table?

Yes — it's the only Tier 1 monument with a research table. Useful for converting items into blueprint form for scrap cost.

Is Satellite Dish a good monument for snipers?

Yes — the hilltop position is one of the best sniper perches in the game. After looting, the dish base offers cover and sightlines for hours of post-loot camping.

Satellite Dish's strategic position

Satellite Dish punches above its weight because of its elevation. The hilltop position offers commanding views of the surrounding terrain, making it not just a loot stop but a strategic asset. Late-wipe players use Satellite Dish as a recon point — climb up, scan the map, identify enemy bases by their building patterns, then descend to plan raids.

This same elevation makes it a contested monument. Where Sewer Branch is overlooked because of its compact layout, Satellite Dish draws attention because the clean sightlines reward post-loot camping. Plan your approach with awareness of who might already be on the hill.

The blue-keycard reward

Unlike The Dome, which spawns elite-tier loot in its puzzle room, Satellite Dish gives only basic crates plus a Blue Keycard. The card itself is the main reward — Tier 2 monuments (Airfield, Trainyard, Power Plant) all need a Blue Keycard for their puzzle, and Satellite Dish is one of the most reliable sources. A typical chain is: Satellite Dish (get blue card) → Airfield (use blue card for elite-tier loot).

Combined with the on-site research table, Satellite Dish is a high-utility monument despite the low absolute loot tier. The full monument list with a sortable comparison is in the Monuments hub. For raid math on what your scrap can pop, see the Raid Calculator.

Related monuments & tools

// hub 🗝️ All Rust Monuments Complete sortable table — every monument, every tier. // green tier 🟢 The Dome Iconic green-card monument. Spiral exterior climb to apex crates plus an interior puzzle room. // green tier ⚓ Small Harbor Green-card harbour. 1 recycler, oil refinery, and a Blue Keycard as the puzzle reward. // green tier 🚢 Large Harbor Bigger harbour. Green to enter, Blue Keycard as the puzzle reward, oil refinery on the pier.