Question

[Maltay (OP)]

What criteria determine whether a Body is called a Listening Post?  For that matter, are there other designations beyond Listening Post?

[Garfunkel]

Deep Space Tracking station on surface will turn it into a Listening Post - if there's nothing else there.

Mining colony is another designation, as is its civilian version.  I don't know of any others.

[welchbloke]

Colonies with ruins will be called Archaeological Digs

[Beersatron]

Terraforming ships in orbit have a specific designation also.

[JSilvanus]

So, can I move deep space tracking stations to places? How do I do this? My freighter didn't have a command to load a deep space tracking station. . .

[Erik L]

So, can I move deep space tracking stations to places? How do I do this? My freighter didn't have a command to load a deep space tracking station. . .

How big is your freighter? You need minimum 5 holds on one freighter to accomplish the move.

[metalax]

The order to load deep space tracking station is "load tracking station".

You need five cargo holds to move one in a single trip, on a single freighter, but you can also have your freighter move it in sections by making five trips, or have five single hold freighters make the trip at the same time.

[Erik L]

The order to load deep space tracking station is "load tracking station".

You need five cargo holds to move one in a single trip, on a single freighter, but you can also have your freighter move it in sections by making five trips, or have five single hold freighters make the trip at the same time.

Does it actually split it? I didn't think that was one of the "splittable" facilities.

[metalax]

I'm fairly sure that it can be though I'd need to check. Still it is better to get in the habit of building freighters with a multiple of 5 cargo holds to avoid splitting as much as possible as on occasion they have "lost" a fragment, resulting in needing to use SM to fix the partial facility.

[JSilvanus]

The order to load deep space tracking station is "load tracking station".

Ah, yes, this was it.  I was looking for "Load Deep Space Tracking Station" and somehow missed this one.

I actually managed to make listening posts by first assigning freighters to take something else to that place but cancelling it soon after (this marks it as a colony; I forgot how to make a colony otherwise! :/) and then making civilian contracts for Deep Space Tracking Stations.  My civilian freighters moved the stuff nicely. 

[Rabid_Cog]

You do realise you can establish a colony on any planet, any time by using 'add colony' on the system overview, right? It's not cheating, it only designates the world as a viable colony. Nothing is created there.

[JSilvanus]

You do realise you can establish a colony on any planet, any time by using 'add colony' on the system overview, right? It's not cheating, it only designates the world as a viable colony.   Nothing is created there. 

Thank you! I knew of this button, but didn't remember where to find it.   

[Steve Walmsley]

You do realise you can establish a colony on any planet, any time by using 'add colony' on the system overview, right? It's not cheating, it only designates the world as a viable colony. Nothing is created there.

You can also right-click any system body on the system map and select Populations -> Create Colony

Steve