Spaceship

The UFO is the most powerful vehicle which you create in the civilization phase in order to reach the space phase. Once the player has made one, he or she can quickly remove any opposition and move on to the stellar system. As of E3 2006, the UFO has been revamped and many new features have been added.

First contact
If you find an intelligent species using the SETI tool, you can go to their system and attempt to establish communication with them by using one of the diplomatic tools. If things go well, you will have made an ally. If not, they will fire on you and you will either have to fight back or leave the planet. Of course, nothing is stopping you from blowing their planet up after you reach orbit... Also available for interaction are the monolith and the fireworks tools. By dropping a monolith, you can uplift a non-sapient species into the tribal stage, and they may worship you. You can also fire fireworks over a city for the inhabitants. They may worship you because of this act.

UFO tools
The UFO comes with a large variety of tools which lets the player do things from firing fireworks to blowing up planets.

Basic tools
Tools which are used for most common tasks.

Colony beam
Creates a colony at the targetted surface.

Availability: Most likely available out of the box.

Scanner
Scans the targetted object (Only creatures have been targetted in demonstrations so far) and adds its data to the UFO's database, Sporepedia.

Availability: Most likely available out of the box.

SETI tool
Scans solar systems for intelligent life (radio waves).

Availability: Most likely available out of the box.

Tractor beam
The tractor beam lets the player beam creatures and artifacts (strange items found on barren planets) into the cargo hold. If the tractor beam is interrupted before the object has been hauled in, the object will be sent flying. Will Wright said that, if done right, the object "may even go into an orbit around the planet".

Although it it not confirmed exactly how, the tractor beam can also be used for cross-breeding.

Availability: Most likely available out of the box.

Diplomatic tools
Tools which are used to improve standings with other civilizations.

Audio-communication device
Initiates communication with an unfamiliar civilization through a set of tones and lights.

Availability: Most likely available out of the box.

Fireworks launcher
Fires fireworks to impress and entertain civilizations.

Availability: Most likely available out of the box.

Monolith
Creates a monolith on a planet which accelerates the technological advancement of the race that discovers it.

Military tools
Tools used for combatting enemy civilizations.

Blaster
Shoots balls of energy at the target.

Availability: Unknown.

Laser beam
Produces a constant laser beam at the targetted area which incinerates anything in its path.

Availability: Unknown.

Planet buster
Instantly destroys a planet, leaving only an asteroid belt.

Availability: Most likely available much later in the game through research or an artifact.

Terraforming tools
Tools used to terraform planets (make them habitable).

Asteroid tractor beam
Pulls an asteroid onto the target surface, for the purpose of generating water (Which then begins to evaporate, resulting in an atmosphere). May also be considered a military tool.

Availability: Unknown. Probably available through research or an artifact.

Genesis device
When fired on a completely barren planet with no atmosphere, it will only take a few minutes to entirely transform the planet. It will create an atmosphere and a biosphere, but it is not certain whether it will create actual creatures or just plants. It is also unknown what effect it will have when used on a planet that already has an atmosphere and is inhabited.

Availability: Most likely available much later in the game through research or an artifact.

Volcano missile
Fires a missile towards a planet's surface which makes a volcano erupt where it hit. Volcanoes are used to create an atmosphere on the planet. May also be considered a military tool.

Availability: Unknown. Probably available through research or an artifact.