diff --git a/assets/images/asteroids.png b/assets/images/asteroids.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c228c48
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/asteroids.png differ
diff --git a/assets/images/asteroids.psd b/assets/images/asteroids.psd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71e57bb
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/asteroids.psd differ
diff --git a/assets/videos/terran-takeoff-01.mp4 b/assets/videos/terran-takeoff-01.mp4
index b9b6ae6..8dfc228 100644
Binary files a/assets/videos/terran-takeoff-01.mp4 and b/assets/videos/terran-takeoff-01.mp4 differ
diff --git a/data/asteroids.json b/data/asteroids.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1718050
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/asteroids.json
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+{
+  "_comment": "ASTEROID CLUSTERS — loose groups of slowly tumbling rocks drifting in the system's void. texture = spritesheet of frameWidth×frameHeight asteroid frames (frameCount frames). cluster = how a group looks & moves: groupSize = rocks per cluster (minFullSize guarantees at least one full-size rock), sizes = per-rock diameter px, spread = how far a rock may sit from the cluster center, spin = each rock's OWN very slow tumble (deg/s, direction per-rock random), groupSpin = the whole loose group drifts around its center (deg/s), tint = subtle warm/cool starlight per cluster (anchors blended toward white by strength), halo = soft glow behind the group, debris = a halo of fine dust motes orbiting just outside the rocks. distribution = how many clusters a system gets: targetObjects − planetCount, ±jitter, clamped to [minClusters, maxClusters] (more planets ⇒ fewer clusters); the starting system always gets at least startingSystemMinClusters, and those first ones are placed INSIDE the player's initial tether so they're reachable from the spawn. placement = where clusters may sit: minObjectSpacing = no cluster may be closer (center-to-center) than this to ANY other object (home world, planets, free-space stations, other clusters); minRadius/maxRadius = the annulus around the origin random clusters live in; tetherMargin = how far inside the tether rim a starting-system cluster must sit (whole group stays reachable). shipClearance = how close (edge-to-edge) the ship may get to a rock — clusters are solid, like worlds.",
+  "enabled": true,
+  "texture": "assets/images/asteroids.png",
+  "frameWidth": 128,
+  "frameHeight": 128,
+  "frameCount": 10,
+  "typeLabel": "Asteroid Cluster",
+  "shipClearance": 50,
+  "cluster": {
+    "groupSize": { "min": 4, "max": 8 },
+    "sizes": { "min": 64, "max": 128 },
+    "minFullSize": 1,
+    "spread": 140,
+    "spin": { "minDegPerSec": 0.3, "maxDegPerSec": 1.6 },
+    "groupSpin": { "minDegPerSec": 0.12, "maxDegPerSec": 0.4 },
+    "tint": {
+      "enabled": true,
+      "anchors": ["#dfe9ff", "#ffe9d6", "#e8e4f8"],
+      "strength": 0.5
+    },
+    "halo": {
+      "enabled": true,
+      "scale": 2.8,
+      "alpha": 0.26,
+      "color": "#7fa8d8"
+    },
+    "debris": {
+      "enabled": true,
+      "count": [18, 36],
+      "inner": 0.9,
+      "outer": 2.4,
+      "size": [2.5, 6],
+      "alpha": [0.4, 0.85]
+    }
+  },
+  "distribution": {
+    "targetObjects": 9,
+    "jitter": 1,
+    "minClusters": 1,
+    "maxClusters": 6,
+    "startingSystemMinClusters": 2
+  },
+  "placement": {
+    "minObjectSpacing": 1024,
+    "minRadius": 2048,
+    "maxRadius": 18432,
+    "tetherMargin": 96,
+    "maxPlacementAttempts": 400
+  }
+}
diff --git a/data/manifest.json b/data/manifest.json
index 3913ca5..8723228 100644
--- a/data/manifest.json
+++ b/data/manifest.json
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     "menu.json",
     "ship.json",
     "planets.json",
+    "asteroids.json",
     "tether.json",
     "galaxy.json",
     "systems.json",
diff --git a/data/naming.json b/data/naming.json
index ccfa384..23d6147 100644
--- a/data/naming.json
+++ b/data/naming.json
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@
     "minParts": 3,
     "maxParts": 5
   },
+  "asteroid": {
+    "_comment": "Asteroid cluster names: a synthesised syllable name + a field-like suffix (\"Kaveru Field\", \"Nixdor Drift\"). Unbounded, like stars. Drawn per-system (dedicated stream), never repeating another name in the same system.",
+    "syllables": ["ka", "ver", "dor", "thra", "nix", "oru", "mal", "cra", "zeth", "ba", "lu", "tan", "gra", "vel", "kor", "ash", "pyr", "dra", "sol", "rin", "eth", "qua"],
+    "minParts": 2,
+    "maxParts": 3,
+    "suffixes": ["Field", "Drift", "Patch", "Reef", "Shoals", "Belt", "Reach", "Wash"]
+  },
   "banks": {
     "_comment": "planet.colonial = familiar, Earth-flavored names (colonial 'New <city>' + American place-names). planet.alien = unfamiliar, exotic names. station.procedural = official designations. station.smuggler = underworld hangouts. A system's worlds/stations are drawn from the COMBINED pool for each category (colonial+alien, procedural+smuggler) without replacement.",
     "planet": {
diff --git a/dev/asteroids.test.mjs b/dev/asteroids.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..69a32af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/asteroids.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,280 @@
+/**
+ * Asteroid cluster test (dev tool, run with Node — no browser needed):
+ *
+ *   node dev/asteroids.test.mjs
+ *
+ * Asserts the whole data/asteroids.json contract, generated by the real
+ * SystemGenerator across a large seeded sample of the galaxy:
+ *   - COUNT vs PLANETS: clusterCount ≈ targetObjects − planetCount (±
+ *     jitter, clamped to [minClusters, maxClusters]) — so systems with
+ *     more planets get fewer clusters and vice versa (also checked as an
+ *     aggregate correlation across the sample);
+ *   - the STARTING system always gets ≥ startingSystemMinClusters, and
+ *     those first ones sit INSIDE the initial tether (whole cluster,
+ *     minus placement.tetherMargin);
+ *   - GROUP SHAPE: 4–8 rocks, sizes in [64, 128], at least one full-size
+ *     rock, frames in [0, frameCount) with NO frame twice in a cluster,
+ *     bound = max(offset + size/2);
+ *   - SPACING: no cluster within 1024 px (center-to-center) of ANY other
+ *     object — home world (origin), planets, free-space stations, other
+ *     clusters — and every cluster sits in the [minRadius, maxRadius]
+ *     annulus around the origin;
+ *   - MOTION: each rock's spin and the group drift are within the
+ *     configured slow-spin ranges;
+ *   - NAMES: synthesised, and never repeating a name in the same system;
+ *   - DETERMINISM: same seed ⇒ identical clusters (deep equal), different
+ *     seed ⇒ different, and lazy (on-arrival) === eager (fresh galaxy).
+ */
+
+process.env.NODE_ENV = 'dev';
+
+import { pathToFileURL } from 'node:url';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path';
+
+const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+
+// --- Load the real config (data/*.json) into the config singleton --------
+const { config } = await import(pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/config/Config.js')).href);
+const fs = await import('node:fs');
+const dataDir = join(__dirname, '../data');
+const configData = {};
+for (const f of fs.readdirSync(dataDir)) {
+  if (!f.endsWith('.json') || f === 'manifest.json') continue;
+  configData[f.replace(/\.json$/i, '')] = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(join(dataDir, f), 'utf8'));
+}
+config.init(configData);
+
+const { Rng } = await import(pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/utils/Rng.js')).href);
+const { NameGenerator } = await import(pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/utils/NameGenerator.js')).href);
+const { Galaxy } = await import(pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/galaxy/Galaxy.js')).href);
+const { formatSystemReport } = await import(pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/galaxy/SystemReport.js')).href);
+
+let pass = 0;
+let failures = 0;
+function check(name, cond, detail = '') {
+  if (!cond) {
+    failures++;
+    console.error(`✗ ${name}${detail ? ` — ${detail}` : ''}`);
+  } else {
+    pass++;
+    console.log(`✓ ${name}`);
+  }
+}
+function deepEq(a, b) {
+  return JSON.stringify(a) === JSON.stringify(b);
+}
+
+// --- Config sanity ---------------------------------------------------------
+const A = config.section('asteroids', {});
+check('asteroids.json is listed & loaded (enabled)', A.enabled !== false && typeof A.texture === 'string');
+check('frame count configured', Number.isInteger(A.frameCount) && A.frameCount >= 8);
+const CL = A.cluster ?? {};
+check('group size 4–8', (CL.groupSize?.min ?? 4) >= 4 && (CL.groupSize?.max ?? 8) <= 8 && CL.groupSize.min <= CL.groupSize.max);
+check('sizes 64–128 with a full-size minimum', (CL.sizes?.min ?? 64) === 64 && (CL.sizes?.max ?? 128) === 128 && (CL.minFullSize ?? 1) >= 1);
+const D = A.distribution ?? {};
+check('distribution has target/min/max/jitter', Number.isFinite(D.targetObjects) && D.minClusters >= 1 && D.maxClusters >= D.minClusters && Number.isFinite(D.jitter));
+check('starting system minimum ≥ 2', (D.startingSystemMinClusters ?? 2) >= 2);
+const P = A.placement ?? {};
+check('placement rules present', P.minObjectSpacing === 1024 && P.minRadius > 0 && P.maxRadius >= P.minRadius);
+const TETHER = config.get('tether.level1Radius', 5120) * Math.pow(config.get('tether.radiusGrowth', 1.25), Math.max(1, Math.floor(config.get('tether.homeLevel', 1))) - 1);
+
+// --- Name synthesis ---------------------------------------------------------
+{
+  const n1 = NameGenerator.asteroid(Rng.derive('x', 'names', 'S1', 'asteroids'));
+  const n2 = NameGenerator.asteroid(Rng.derive('x', 'names', 'S1', 'asteroids'));
+  check('asteroid names are "Name Suffix" strings', /^\S+ \S+$/.test(n1) && n1 === n2);
+}
+
+// --- The big sample ---------------------------------------------------------
+const SEED = 'asteroid-test-galaxy';
+const g = Galaxy.create(SEED);
+const homeId = g.currentSystemId;
+const homeRec = g.records.find((r) => r.id === homeId);
+// The starting system MUST be in the sample (it carries the special rules).
+const sample = [homeRec, ...g.records.slice(0, 5000).filter((r) => r.id !== homeId)];
+
+let shapeOk = true, shapeWhy = '';
+let spacingOk = true, spacingWhy = '';
+let annulusOk = true, annulusWhy = '';
+let spinOk = true, spinWhy = '';
+let namesOk = true, namesWhy = '';
+let countOk = true, countWhy = '';
+let homeOk = true, homeWhy = '';
+
+const spinMin = (CL.spin?.minDegPerSec ?? 0.3) * (Math.PI / 180);
+const spinMax = (CL.spin?.maxDegPerSec ?? 1.6) * (Math.PI / 180);
+const gspinMin = (CL.groupSpin?.minDegPerSec ?? 0.12) * (Math.PI / 180);
+const gspinMax = (CL.groupSpin?.maxDegPerSec ?? 0.4) * (Math.PI / 180);
+
+for (const rec of sample) {
+  const c = g.ensureContent(rec.id);
+  const clusters = c.asteroids;
+  const isHome = rec.id === homeId;
+
+  if (!Array.isArray(clusters)) {
+    countOk = false; countWhy = `${rec.id}: asteroids is not an array`; break;
+  }
+
+  // COUNT vs PLANETS (the inverse rule): count is the clamped, jittered
+  // target — targetObjects − planetCount, ±jitter, clamped into [min, max]
+  // (and [startingMin, max] for the home system). When the ideal band
+  // clamps to empty, the clamped range itself is the contract.
+  const want = D.targetObjects - c.planets.length;
+  let loW = Math.max(D.minClusters, isHome ? D.startingSystemMinClusters : -Infinity, Math.round(want - D.jitter));
+  let hiW = Math.min(D.maxClusters, Math.round(want + D.jitter));
+  if (loW > hiW) { loW = D.minClusters; hiW = D.maxClusters; }
+  if (clusters.length < loW || clusters.length > hiW) {
+    countOk = false; countWhy = `${rec.id}: ${c.planets.length} planets → ${clusters.length} clusters (want ${loW}–${hiW})`; break;
+  }
+
+  // Names already used in this system (planets + stations + clusters).
+  const used = new Set();
+  for (const p of c.planets) used.add(p.name);
+  for (const s of c.settlements ?? []) if (s.name) used.add(s.name);
+
+  // Spacing obstacles.
+  const objects = [{ x: 0, y: 0 }];
+  for (const p of c.planets) if (typeof p.x === 'number') objects.push({ x: p.x, y: p.y });
+  for (const s of c.settlements ?? []) if (s.anchor?.type === 'space' && typeof s.x === 'number') objects.push({ x: s.x, y: s.y });
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < clusters.length; i++) {
+    const cl = clusters[i];
+
+    // --- Group shape -----------------------------------------------------
+    const rocks = cl.asteroids ?? [];
+    if (rocks.length < CL.groupSize.min || rocks.length > CL.groupSize.max) {
+      shapeOk = false; shapeWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: ${rocks.length} rocks (want ${CL.groupSize.min}–${CL.groupSize.max})`; break;
+    }
+    if (!rocks.every((r) => r.size >= CL.sizes.min && r.size <= CL.sizes.max)) {
+      shapeOk = false; shapeWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: rock size out of [${CL.sizes.min}, ${CL.sizes.max}]`; break;
+    }
+    if (!rocks.some((r) => r.size === CL.sizes.max)) {
+      shapeOk = false; shapeWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: no full-size rock`; break;
+    }
+    const frames = rocks.map((r) => r.frame);
+    if (!frames.every((f) => Number.isInteger(f) && f >= 0 && f < A.frameCount)) {
+      shapeOk = false; shapeWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: frame out of sheet [0, ${A.frameCount})`; break;
+    }
+    if (new Set(frames).size !== frames.length) {
+      shapeOk = false; shapeWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: a frame is used twice in one cluster`; break;
+    }
+    const bound = Math.max(...rocks.map((r) => Math.hypot(r.x, r.y) + r.size / 2));
+    if (Math.abs(bound - cl.bound) > 1e-9) {
+      shapeOk = false; shapeWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: bound ${cl.bound} ≠ max(offset + size/2) ${bound}`; break;
+    }
+
+    // --- Motion ----------------------------------------------------------
+    if (!rocks.every((r) => Math.abs(r.spin) >= spinMin - 1e-12 && Math.abs(r.spin) <= spinMax + 1e-12)) {
+      spinOk = false; spinWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: rock spin out of range`; break;
+    }
+    if (Math.abs(cl.groupSpin) < gspinMin - 1e-12 || Math.abs(cl.groupSpin) > gspinMax + 1e-12) {
+      spinOk = false; spinWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: group spin out of range`; break;
+    }
+    const dspinMin = 0.2 * (Math.PI / 180);
+    const dspinMax = 0.5 * (Math.PI / 180);
+    if (typeof cl.debrisSpin !== 'number' || Math.abs(cl.debrisSpin) < dspinMin - 1e-12 || Math.abs(cl.debrisSpin) > dspinMax + 1e-12) {
+      spinOk = false; spinWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: debris spin out of range (${cl.debrisSpin})`; break;
+    }
+
+    // --- Names -----------------------------------------------------------
+    if (typeof cl.name !== 'string' || cl.name.length < 3) {
+      namesOk = false; namesWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: bad name "${cl.name}"`; break;
+    }
+    if (used.has(cl.name)) {
+      namesOk = false; namesWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: name "${cl.name}" repeats a name in the system`; break;
+    }
+    used.add(cl.name);
+
+    // --- Spacing: ≥ 1024 px from EVERY other object ----------------------
+    for (const o of objects) {
+      const d = Math.hypot(cl.x - o.x, cl.y - o.y);
+      if (d < P.minObjectSpacing - 1e-6) {
+        spacingOk = false; spacingWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: ${Math.round(d)} px from an object (< ${P.minObjectSpacing})`; break;
+      }
+    }
+    if (!spacingOk) break;
+
+    // --- Scatter annulus ---------------------------------------------------
+    const dist0 = Math.hypot(cl.x, cl.y);
+    if (dist0 < P.minRadius - 1e-6 || dist0 > P.maxRadius + 1e-6) {
+      annulusOk = false; annulusWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: ${Math.round(dist0)} px from origin (want ${P.minRadius}–${P.maxRadius})`; break;
+    }
+
+    // --- Starting-system tether guarantee ---------------------------------
+    if (isHome && i < D.startingSystemMinClusters) {
+      if (dist0 + cl.bound + (P.tetherMargin ?? 96) > TETHER + 1e-6) {
+        homeOk = false; homeWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: whole cluster not inside the initial tether (${Math.round(dist0 + cl.bound)} + margin > ${TETHER})`; break;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  if (!shapeOk || !spacingOk || !annulusOk || !spinOk || !namesOk || !homeOk) break;
+}
+
+check(`count: ${sample.length} systems obey targetObjects−planets (±jitter), clamped ${D.minClusters}–${D.maxClusters}${countOk ? '' : ' — ' + countWhy}`, countOk);
+check(`shape: groups of ${CL.groupSize.min}–${CL.groupSize.max}, sizes ${CL.sizes.min}–${CL.sizes.max}, ≥1 full-size, frames unique per cluster, bound correct${shapeOk ? '' : ' — ' + shapeWhy}`, shapeOk);
+check(`spacing: no cluster within ${P.minObjectSpacing} px (center-to-center) of ANY object (home, planets, stations, clusters)${spacingOk ? '' : ' — ' + spacingWhy}`, spacingOk);
+check(`scatter: every cluster inside the ${P.minRadius}–${P.maxRadius} annulus around the origin${annulusOk ? '' : ' — ' + annulusWhy}`, annulusOk);
+check(`motion: per-rock spins & group drifts within the slow-spin ranges${spinOk ? '' : ' — ' + spinWhy}`, spinOk);
+check('names: synthesised, never repeating a name in the same system', namesOk);
+const homeClusters = g.ensureContent(homeId).asteroids;
+check(
+  `starting system: ≥ ${D.startingSystemMinClusters} clusters inside the initial tether (radius ${TETHER} px) — got ${homeClusters.length} clusters, first ${D.startingSystemMinClusters} inside`,
+  homeClusters.length >= D.startingSystemMinClusters && homeOk,
+);
+
+// The inverse rule, in aggregate: rockier systems (few planets) get more
+// clusters than planet-rich ones.
+{
+  const rows = sample.map((r) => {
+    const c = g.ensureContent(r.id);
+    return { planets: c.planets.length, clusters: c.asteroids.length };
+  });
+  const avg = (xs) => xs.reduce((s, x) => s + x, 0) / xs.length;
+  const rich = rows.filter((r) => r.planets >= 6);
+  const poor = rows.filter((r) => r.planets <= 2);
+  check(
+    `inverse rule (aggregate): avg clusters — ≤2 planets: ${avg(poor.map((r) => r.clusters)).toFixed(2)} > ≥6 planets: ${avg(rich.map((r) => r.clusters)).toFixed(2)}`,
+    rich.length > 0 && poor.length > 0 && avg(poor.map((r) => r.clusters)) > avg(rich.map((r) => r.clusters)),
+  );
+}
+
+// Clusters actually appear with variety (frame, size, spin direction mix).
+{
+  const c = g.ensureContent(homeId);
+  const all = c.asteroids.flatMap((cl) => cl.asteroids);
+  check('home system clusters use multiple frames', new Set(all.map((r) => r.frame)).size >= 3);
+  check('home system clusters mix spin directions', all.some((r) => r.spin > 0) && all.some((r) => r.spin < 0));
+  const report = formatSystemReport(c);
+  check(`report subtitle names the clusters (${c.asteroids.length})`, report.subtitle.includes(`${c.asteroids.length} asteroid cluster`));
+}
+
+// --- Determinism -------------------------------------------------------------
+{
+  const a = Galaxy.create(SEED).ensureContent(g.records[42].id);
+  const b = Galaxy.create(SEED).ensureContent(g.records[42].id);
+  check('same seed ⇒ identical clusters (deep equal)', deepEq(a.asteroids, b.asteroids));
+  const c = Galaxy.create('totally-different-seed').ensureContent(g.records[42].id);
+  check('different seed ⇒ different clusters', !deepEq(a.asteroids, c.asteroids));
+
+  // Lazy === eager: a FRESH galaxy's on-arrival content matches the cached
+  // one, including every cluster's position, rocks, spins and debris.
+  const fresh = Galaxy.create(SEED);
+  const ids = [homeId, g.records[999].id, g.records[g.records.length - 1].id];
+  const lazyEager = ids.every((id) => {
+    const f = fresh.ensureContent(id);
+    const cached = g.ensureContent(id);
+    return deepEq(f.asteroids, cached.asteroids) && deepEq(f, cached);
+  });
+  check('lazy (on-arrival) content === cached content (clusters included)', lazyEager);
+
+  // And the starting-system tether guarantee holds on the fresh galaxy too.
+  const fHome = fresh.ensureContent(homeId).asteroids;
+  const inside = fHome.slice(0, D.startingSystemMinClusters).every(
+    (cl) => Math.hypot(cl.x, cl.y) + cl.bound + (P.tetherMargin ?? 96) <= TETHER + 1e-6,
+  );
+  check('fresh galaxy: starting-system tether clusters still inside', inside);
+}
+
+console.log(failures === 0 ? `\n${pass} asteroid cluster checks passed ✔` : `\n${failures} check(s) FAILED ✘ (${pass} passed)`);
+process.exit(failures === 0 ? 0 : 1);
diff --git a/dev/smoke-game.mjs b/dev/smoke-game.mjs
index 18e3449..36290eb 100644
--- a/dev/smoke-game.mjs
+++ b/dev/smoke-game.mjs
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
  *                   (rim ping + toast) with the world in view.
  *   ?tethers=x,y,level;x,y,level  add dev tethers (union-boundary tests)
  *   ?homeLevel=<n>  set the home tether's level (bigger/smaller range)
+ *   ?seed=<seed>    use a DETERMINISTIC dev galaxy (same seed ⇒ same
+ *                   system, planets, asteroid clusters) — reproducible shots
  *   ?report=1       paint console errors (or "SMOKE OK") on the canvas
  */
 import Phaser from '../js/vendor/phaser.js';
@@ -32,6 +34,11 @@ const shipParam = params ? params.get('ship') : null;
 const nearParam = params ? params.get('near') : null;
 const tethersParam = params ? params.get('tethers') : null;
 const homeLevelParam = params ? params.get('homeLevel') : null;
+const seedParam = params ? params.get('seed') : null;
+
+// Deterministic dev galaxy for reproducible screenshots (GameScene.
+// ensureGalaxy reads this when the registry is empty).
+if (seedParam && typeof globalThis !== 'undefined') globalThis.__ORBIT_DEV_SEED = seedParam;
 
 // Dev: capture console errors + uncaught exceptions for ?report=1.
 const __errors = [];
diff --git a/js/entities/AsteroidCluster.js b/js/entities/AsteroidCluster.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c0eb75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/entities/AsteroidCluster.js
@@ -0,0 +1,264 @@
+import Phaser from '../vendor/phaser.js';
+import { config } from '../config/Config.js';
+import { toColor } from '../utils/Color.js';
+import { Planet } from './Planet.js';
+
+const HALO_KEY = '__asteroid_halo';
+const MOTE_KEY = '__asteroid_mote';
+
+/**
+ * An asteroid cluster: a loose group of 4–8 slowly tumbling rocks drifting
+ * in the void (record from SystemGenerator.generateAsteroidClusters).
+ *
+ * The render is pure presentation of the generated record — every rock's
+ * frame, size, offset, spin, the group's drift, the dust halo, the tint.
+ * The motion (the "key part" of the game's feel):
+ *   - each rock tumbles on its OWN slow spin — its own speed and direction
+ *     (record.asteroids[].spin / .phase);
+ *   - the whole group is LOOSE: it drifts very slowly around its center
+ *     (record.groupSpin / .groupPhase) — a random patch of rocks, not a
+ *     rigid rock;
+ *   - a fine halo of dust motes orbits the rocks just outside them,
+ *     counter-drifting a little (record.debris);
+ *   - a soft starlight halo sits behind the group, and each cluster carries
+ *     a subtle warm/cool tint (record.tint) so no two fields read alike.
+ *
+ * A cluster is SOLID, like a world: the ship may close in to
+ * `asteroids.shipClearance` px (edge-to-edge) of any rock, but can never
+ * fly through one (constrainShip — the same circle rule as Planet, applied
+ * to each rock; planets never overlap, and cluster rocks only slightly, so
+ * a couple of projection passes are stable).
+ *
+ * update(time) is driven by the scene (GameScene.update) — it advances the
+ * spins and CACHES each rock's current world position (m.wx/m.wy), which
+ * the ship constraint (GameScene.onPostUpdate, after the physics step)
+ * reads, so collision tracks the drifting rocks.
+ */
+export class AsteroidCluster extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
+  static TEXTURE_KEY = 'asteroids';
+
+  /**
+   * @param {Phaser.Scene} scene
+   * @param {object} record — the generated cluster (SystemGenerator)
+   * @param {object} [o={}]
+   * @param {number} [o.depth=5] — render depth (planets sit at 5)
+   */
+  constructor(scene, record, o = {}) {
+    super(scene, record.x, record.y);
+    scene.add.existing(this); // v4 quirk: new'd objects are not on the display list
+    this.record = record;
+    this.discoveryId = record.id; // discovery + compass identity
+    this.discoveryName = record.name;
+    this.bound = record.bound ?? 200; // max extent from center (discovery radius)
+    this.clearance = config.get('asteroids.shipClearance', 50);
+    this.setDepth(o.depth ?? 5);
+
+    // Rocks: local (un-rotated) data + render image. World positions are
+    // cached in wx/wy every update() — collision reads those.
+    this.members = (record.asteroids ?? []).map((a) => ({
+      frame: a.frame,
+      lx: a.x,
+      ly: a.y,
+      radius: a.size / 2,
+      spin: a.spin,
+      phase: a.phase,
+      img: null,
+      wx: this.x,
+      wy: this.y,
+    }));
+
+    this.groupPhase = record.groupPhase ?? 0;
+    this.groupSpin = record.groupSpin ?? 0; // rad/s, signed
+    this.debrisPhase = record.debrisPhase ?? 0;
+    this.debrisSpin = record.debrisSpin ?? -this.groupSpin * 0.5; // rad/s, signed
+
+    // --- Starlight halo (soft, behind the group) -------------------------
+    const haloCfg = config.get('asteroids.cluster.halo', {});
+    if (haloCfg.enabled !== false) {
+      ensureHaloTexture(scene);
+      const halo = scene.add.image(0, 0, HALO_KEY);
+      halo.setScale((this.bound * (haloCfg.scale ?? 2.4)) / 32);
+      halo.setAlpha(haloCfg.alpha ?? 0.14);
+      halo.setTint(toColor(haloCfg.color, '#7fa8d8'));
+      this.add(halo);
+    }
+
+    // --- The loose group: a container that drifts, holding each rock ----
+    const frameSize = Math.max(1, config.get('asteroids.frameWidth', 128));
+    const tint = record.tint;
+    this.groupBody = new Phaser.GameObjects.Container(scene, 0, 0);
+    for (const m of this.members) {
+      const img = scene.add.image(m.lx, m.ly, AsteroidCluster.TEXTURE_KEY, m.frame);
+      img.setScale((m.radius * 2) / frameSize); // 128 px rock at 1.0, 64 px at 0.5
+      if (tint) img.setTint(tint);
+      m.img = img;
+      this.groupBody.add(img);
+    }
+    this.add(this.groupBody);
+
+    // --- Dust: fine motes orbiting just outside the rocks ----------------
+    if (Array.isArray(record.debris) && record.debris.length > 0) {
+      ensureMoteTexture(scene);
+      this.debrisBody = new Phaser.GameObjects.Container(scene, 0, 0);
+      for (const d of record.debris) {
+        const dot = scene.add.image(d.x, d.y, MOTE_KEY);
+        dot.setScale(Math.max(0.6, d.size) / 6);
+        dot.setAlpha(d.alpha);
+        this.debrisBody.add(dot);
+      }
+      this.add(this.debrisBody);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Advance the motion (driven by GameScene.update BEFORE ship constraint,
+   * so the rocks the ship is held back by are exactly where they render).
+   * @param {number} time — scene time, ms
+   */
+  update(time) {
+    const t = time / 1000;
+    const rot = this.groupPhase + this.groupSpin * t;
+    this.groupBody.rotation = rot;
+    const cos = Math.cos(rot);
+    const sin = Math.sin(rot);
+    for (const m of this.members) {
+      if (m.img) m.img.rotation = m.phase + m.spin * t;
+      // World position of this rock (group drift applied):
+      m.wx = this.x + m.lx * cos - m.ly * sin;
+      m.wy = this.y + m.lx * sin + m.ly * cos;
+    }
+    if (this.debrisBody) {
+      // The dust glides on its own slow orbit — loose, not locked to the
+      // rocks (record.debrisSpin; legacy records fall back to a gentle
+      // counter-drift).
+      this.debrisBody.rotation = this.debrisPhase + this.debrisSpin * t;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Keep a ship out of every rock: the same keep-out circle rule as a
+   * planet (ship may reach `clearance` edge-to-edge, never closer),
+   * projected per rock. Cluster rocks may slightly overlap, so the
+   * projection is iterated a few passes until stable — cheap (≤ 8 circles).
+   */
+  constrainShip(ship, shipRadius = 0) {
+    const body = ship.body;
+    let x = ship.x;
+    let y = ship.y;
+    let vx = body.velocity.x;
+    let vy = body.velocity.y;
+    let ax = body.acceleration ? body.acceleration.x : 0;
+    let ay = body.acceleration ? body.acceleration.y : 0;
+    for (let pass = 0; pass < 4; pass++) {
+      let moved = false;
+      for (const m of this.members) {
+        const r = Planet.resolve(
+          m.wx, m.wy, m.radius + this.clearance + shipRadius,
+          x, y, vx, vy, ax, ay,
+        );
+        if (r.x !== x || r.y !== y || r.vx !== vx || r.vy !== vy) moved = true;
+        x = r.x;
+        y = r.y;
+        vx = r.vx;
+        vy = r.vy;
+        ax = r.ax;
+        ay = r.ay;
+      }
+      if (!moved) break;
+    }
+    ship.x = x;
+    ship.y = y;
+    body.velocity.x = vx;
+    body.velocity.y = vy;
+    if (body.acceleration) {
+      body.acceleration.x = ax;
+      body.acceleration.y = ay;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * A world point the ship may be sent to (click-to-fly / autopilot): a
+   * point inside the cluster's keep-out is pushed out along the ray from
+   * the cluster center, then out of every rock's keep-out circle.
+   */
+  aimPoint(wx, wy, shipRadius = 0) {
+    let x = wx;
+    let y = wy;
+    const dx = x - this.x;
+    const dy = y - this.y;
+    const d = Math.hypot(dx, dy);
+    const boundMin = this.bound + this.clearance + shipRadius;
+    if (d < boundMin) {
+      if (d > 0) {
+        x = this.x + (dx / d) * boundMin;
+        y = this.y + (dy / d) * boundMin;
+      } else {
+        x = this.x + boundMin; // dead center: +x
+        y = this.y;
+      }
+    }
+    return this._pushOutOfRocks(x, y, shipRadius);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * An approach point on the cluster's rim at `angle` (rad), `gap` px
+   * (edge-to-edge) off the nearest rock — the side the ship is coming from.
+   */
+  edgePoint(angle, gap, shipRadius = 0) {
+    const x = this.x + Math.cos(angle) * (this.bound + gap + shipRadius);
+    const y = this.y + Math.sin(angle) * (this.bound + gap + shipRadius);
+    return this._pushOutOfRocks(x, y, shipRadius);
+  }
+
+  /** Push a point outside every rock's keep-out circle (a few passes). */
+  _pushOutOfRocks(x, y, shipRadius = 0) {
+    for (let pass = 0; pass < 4; pass++) {
+      let moved = false;
+      for (const m of this.members) {
+        const r = Planet.resolve(
+          m.wx, m.wy, m.radius + this.clearance + shipRadius,
+          x, y, 0, 0,
+        );
+        if (r.x !== x || r.y !== y) moved = true;
+        x = r.x;
+        y = r.y;
+      }
+      if (!moved) break;
+    }
+    return { x, y };
+  }
+}
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/**
+ * The starlight halo: a soft radial falloff, generated once (white — the
+ * per-cluster color/alpha come from data/asteroids.json → cluster.halo at
+ * use time). Same pattern as Ship.ensureTexture / the compass arrow.
+ */
+function ensureHaloTexture(scene) {
+  if (scene.textures.exists(HALO_KEY)) return;
+  const S = 64;
+  const C = S / 2;
+  const g = scene.make.graphics({ add: false });
+  const steps = 18;
+  for (let i = steps; i >= 1; i--) {
+    const t = i / steps;
+    g.fillStyle(0xffffff, Math.pow(1 - t, 1.7) * 0.5);
+    g.fillCircle(C, C, C * t);
+  }
+  g.generateTexture(HALO_KEY, S, S);
+  g.destroy();
+}
+
+/** A single dust mote: a soft 8 px dot (white-blue). */
+function ensureMoteTexture(scene) {
+  if (scene.textures.exists(MOTE_KEY)) return;
+  const g = scene.make.graphics({ add: false });
+  g.fillStyle(0xdfe8ff, 0.35);
+  g.fillCircle(4, 4, 4);
+  g.fillStyle(0xffffff, 0.8);
+  g.fillCircle(4, 4, 2);
+  g.generateTexture(MOTE_KEY, 8, 8);
+  g.destroy();
+}
diff --git a/js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js b/js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js
index 41346c9..e17d7c2 100644
--- a/js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js
+++ b/js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import { Rng } from '../utils/Rng.js';
 import { NameGenerator } from '../utils/NameGenerator.js';
 
 const clamp = (v, lo, hi) => Math.min(hi, Math.max(lo, v));
+const TAU = Math.PI * 2;
+const DEG = Math.PI / 180;
 
 /**
  * Turns a lightweight galaxy record (id, name, type, x, y, rNorm) into a
@@ -108,6 +110,14 @@ export function generateSystemContent(galaxy, record, typeDefs = null) {
   const freeSpace = settlements.filter((s) => s.anchor?.type === 'space');
   layoutSystem(galaxy.seed, record.id, planets, freeSpace);
 
+  // --- Asteroid clusters ------------------------------------------------
+  // Loose groups of slowly tumbling rocks scattered through the void.
+  // Generated AFTER the layout (so every placed object is a spacing
+  // obstacle) from the dedicated stream (seed, 'system', id, 'asteroids')
+  // — independent of the star/planet/settlement/layout draws above, so
+  // lazy (on-arrival) === eager (generateAll) is preserved.
+  const asteroids = generateAsteroidClusters(galaxy, record, planets, freeSpace);
+
   // --- Debris belt & system-level hazard --------------------------------
   const belt = {
     present: rng.chance(attr.beltChance ?? 0.35),
@@ -121,6 +131,7 @@ export function generateSystemContent(galaxy, record, typeDefs = null) {
     star,
     planets,
     settlements,
+    asteroids,
     belt,
     hazard,
   };
@@ -264,6 +275,264 @@ function layoutSystem(seed, systemId, planets, freeSpace) {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Asteroid clusters — the system's loose rock fields (data/asteroids.json).
+ *
+ * A cluster is a GROUP of 4–8 rocks (data → cluster.groupSize), each 64–128
+ * px (cluster.sizes) with at least one full-size rock, sitting within
+ * `cluster.spread` of the cluster center. Every rock tumbles on its own
+ * slow spin (its own speed and direction — cluster.spin), and the whole
+ * group drifts slowly around its center (cluster.groupSpin) — the render
+ * (js/entities/AsteroidCluster.js) reads these straight off the record.
+ *
+ * The rules (all from data/asteroids.json):
+ *   - COUNT vs PLANETS — clusterCount ≈ targetObjects − planetCount (±
+ *     jitter, clamped to [minClusters, maxClusters]): the more planets a
+ *     system has, the fewer asteroid clusters, and vice versa. The
+ *     STARTING system always gets at least startingSystemMinClusters, and
+ *     those first ones are placed inside the player's initial tether
+ *     (tether.level1Radius × radiusGrowth^(homeLevel−1), whole cluster,
+ *     minus placement.tetherMargin) so the player can reach them.
+ *   - SPACING — no cluster center may sit closer than
+ *     placement.minObjectSpacing (1024 px, center-to-center) to ANY other
+ *     object: the home world (origin), every planet, every free-space
+ *     station, and every other cluster.
+ *   - SCATTER — other clusters land anywhere in the annulus
+ *     [placement.minRadius, placement.maxRadius] around the origin, picked
+ *     by seeded rejection sampling (uniform in area) — sprinkled through
+ *     the void, inside and outside the planet orbits.
+ *   - FRAMES — each rock is a random sheet frame, with NO frame repeated
+ *     twice in the same cluster (a seeded shuffle of the frame pool).
+ *   - NAMES — synthesised (NameGenerator.asteroid) and never repeating a
+ *     name already used in the system (planets, stations, other clusters).
+ *
+ * Determinism: every draw comes from the dedicated forks
+ *   Rng.derive(seed, 'system', id, 'asteroids')  — members, spins, placement
+ *   Rng.derive(seed, 'system', id, 'names', 'asteroids') — names
+ * — so clusters are seed-deterministic, independent of the other streams,
+ * and lazy === eager (see generateSystemContent).
+ *
+ * Record shape (one per cluster):
+ *   {
+ *     id, name, x, y,          // cluster center + identity
+ *     bound,                   // max extent from center = discovery radius
+ *     tint,                    // per-cluster starlight tint (int, or null)
+ *     groupSpin, groupPhase,   // the loose group's slow drift (rad/s, rad)
+ *     debrisPhase, debris: [], // dust motes (local px, size, alpha)
+ *     asteroids: [{ frame, x, y, size, spin, phase }] // rocks, local px
+ *   }
+ */
+function generateAsteroidClusters(galaxy, record, planets, freeSpace) {
+  const cfg = config.section('asteroids', {});
+  if (cfg.enabled === false) return [];
+  // Without the solar-system layout there are no placed objects to space
+  // against — no clusters either (the scene renders nothing else anyway).
+  if (config.get('planets.solarSystem.enabled', true) === false) return [];
+
+  const clusterCfg = cfg.cluster ?? {};
+  const dist = cfg.distribution ?? {};
+  const placement = cfg.placement ?? {};
+  const isHome = record.id === galaxy?.currentSystemId;
+
+  // --- How many clusters: the inverse of the planet count ---------------
+  const target = dist.targetObjects ?? 9;
+  const jitter = dist.jitter ?? 1;
+  const minC = Math.max(1, Math.floor(dist.minClusters ?? 1));
+  const maxC = Math.max(minC, Math.floor(dist.maxClusters ?? 6));
+  const homeMin = isHome ? Math.max(minC, Math.floor(dist.startingSystemMinClusters ?? 2)) : minC;
+
+  const rng = Rng.derive(galaxy.seed, 'system', record.id, 'asteroids');
+  const count = clamp(
+    Math.round(target - planets.length + rng.range(-jitter, jitter)),
+    homeMin, maxC,
+  );
+  if (count === 0) return [];
+
+  // --- Parameter plumbing (every value steerable from data/asteroids.json)
+  const frameCount = Math.max(1, Math.floor(cfg.frameCount ?? 10));
+  const sizeMin = Math.floor(clusterCfg.sizes?.min ?? 64);
+  const sizeMax = Math.max(sizeMin, Math.floor(clusterCfg.sizes?.max ?? 128));
+  const groupMin = Math.max(1, Math.floor(clusterCfg.groupSize?.min ?? 4));
+  const groupMax = Math.max(groupMin, Math.floor(clusterCfg.groupSize?.max ?? 8));
+  const spread = clusterCfg.spread ?? 140;
+  const spinMin = Math.max(0, clusterCfg.spin?.minDegPerSec ?? 0.3) * DEG;
+  const spinMax = Math.max(spinMin, clusterCfg.spin?.maxDegPerSec ?? 1.6) * DEG;
+  const gspinMin = Math.max(0, clusterCfg.groupSpin?.minDegPerSec ?? 0.12) * DEG;
+  const gspinMax = Math.max(gspinMin, clusterCfg.groupSpin?.maxDegPerSec ?? 0.4) * DEG;
+  const tintAnchors =
+    clusterCfg.tint?.enabled === false ? [] : (clusterCfg.tint?.anchors ?? ['#dfe9ff', '#ffe9d6', '#e8e4f8']);
+  const tintStrength = clamp(clusterCfg.tint?.strength ?? 0.5, 0, 1);
+  const debrisCfg = clusterCfg.debris ?? {};
+
+  // --- Placement rules ---------------------------------------------------
+  const rMin = placement.minRadius ?? 2048;
+  const rMax = Math.max(rMin, placement.maxRadius ?? 18432);
+  const minSep = placement.minObjectSpacing ?? 1024;
+  const maxAttempts = Math.max(1, Math.floor(placement.maxPlacementAttempts ?? 400));
+  const tetherMargin = placement.tetherMargin ?? 96;
+  const tetherRadius = homeTetherRadius();
+  const homeSlots = isHome ? Math.min(count, homeMin) : 0;
+
+  // Names already taken in this system (planets + stations).
+  const nameRng = Rng.derive(galaxy.seed, 'system', record.id, 'names', 'asteroids');
+  const usedNames = new Set();
+  for (const p of planets) if (p.name) usedNames.add(p.name);
+  for (const s of freeSpace) if (s.name) usedNames.add(s.name);
+
+  // Spacing obstacles: the home world (origin) + every placed object.
+  const placed = [{ x: 0, y: 0 }];
+  for (const p of planets) if (typeof p.x === 'number' && typeof p.y === 'number') placed.push({ x: p.x, y: p.y });
+  for (const s of freeSpace) if (typeof s.x === 'number' && typeof s.y === 'number') placed.push({ x: s.x, y: s.y });
+
+  const clusters = [];
+  for (let i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+    // --- The group's rocks ---------------------------------------------
+    const memberCount = rng.int(groupMin, groupMax);
+
+    // Frames: a random subset of the sheet — NO frame twice in this cluster.
+    const frames = rng.shuffle(Array.from({ length: frameCount }, (_, k) => k)).slice(0, memberCount);
+
+    // Sizes: random in [sizeMin, sizeMax]; at least minFullSize full-size.
+    const sizes = Array.from({ length: memberCount }, () => rng.int(sizeMin, sizeMax));
+    const fullRocks = Math.min(Math.max(0, Math.floor(clusterCfg.minFullSize ?? 1)), memberCount);
+    for (let k = 0; k < fullRocks; k++) sizes[rng.int(0, memberCount - 1)] = sizeMax;
+
+    // Offsets: a dense random blob around the center (slight overlap is
+    // allowed — collision clusters look organic; solids never fully
+    // interpenetrate, see the 0.75 factor).
+    const members = [];
+    for (let k = 0; k < memberCount; k++) {
+      let ox = 0;
+      let oy = 0;
+      for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 24; attempt++) {
+        const a = rng.range(0, TAU);
+        const r = spread * Math.sqrt(rng.next()); // uniform in area
+        ox = Math.cos(a) * r;
+        oy = Math.sin(a) * r;
+        if (members.every((m) => Math.hypot(ox - m.x, oy - m.y) >= 0.75 * (sizes[k] / 2 + m.size / 2))) break;
+      }
+      members.push({ x: ox, y: oy, size: sizes[k] });
+    }
+    const bound = Math.max(...members.map((m) => Math.hypot(m.x, m.y) + m.size / 2));
+
+    // Spins: each rock tumbles on its own — its own slow speed, its own
+    // direction, its own starting phase.
+    const spins = members.map(() => (rng.chance(0.5) ? 1 : -1) * rng.range(spinMin, spinMax));
+    const phases = members.map(() => rng.range(0, TAU));
+
+    // Dust: a fine halo of motes orbiting just outside the rocks.
+    const debris = [];
+    if (debrisCfg.enabled !== false) {
+      const n = rng.int(debrisCfg.count?.[0] ?? 14, debrisCfg.count?.[1] ?? 30);
+      const rIn = bound * (debrisCfg.inner ?? 1.0);
+      const rOut = Math.max(rIn, bound * (debrisCfg.outer ?? 2.1));
+      for (let k = 0; k < n; k++) {
+        const a = rng.range(0, TAU);
+        const r = Math.sqrt(rng.range(rIn * rIn, rOut * rOut));
+        debris.push({
+          x: Math.cos(a) * r,
+          y: Math.sin(a) * r,
+          size: rng.range(debrisCfg.size?.[0] ?? 0.8, debrisCfg.size?.[1] ?? 2.4),
+          alpha: rng.range(debrisCfg.alpha?.[0] ?? 0.12, debrisCfg.alpha?.[1] ?? 0.4),
+        });
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Starlight: a subtle warm/cool shift, per cluster.
+    const tint = tintAnchors.length
+      ? mixTint(tintAnchors[rng.int(0, tintAnchors.length - 1)] ?? tintAnchors[0], tintStrength)
+      : null;
+
+    // Name: synthesised, unique within the system.
+    let name = NameGenerator.asteroid(nameRng);
+    for (let tries = 0; tries < 10 && usedNames.has(name); tries++) name = NameGenerator.asteroid(nameRng);
+    usedNames.add(name);
+
+    // --- Where: sprinkle it in the void --------------------------------
+    // The starting system's first clusters live INSIDE the initial tether
+    // (whole group: center + bound + margin ≤ tether radius); the rest —
+    // and every cluster elsewhere — go anywhere in the scatter annulus.
+    const zoneMax =
+      i < homeSlots ? Math.max(rMin, Math.min(rMax, tetherRadius - bound - tetherMargin)) : rMax;
+    const pos = placeInAnnulus(rng, rMin, zoneMax, placed, minSep, maxAttempts);
+    placed.push(pos);
+
+    clusters.push({
+      id: `asteroid-${i + 1}`,
+      name,
+      x: pos.x,
+      y: pos.y,
+      bound,
+      tint,
+      groupSpin: (rng.chance(0.5) ? 1 : -1) * rng.range(gspinMin, gspinMax),
+      groupPhase: rng.range(0, TAU),
+      debrisPhase: rng.range(0, TAU),
+      // The dust glides on its OWN slow orbit (0.2–0.5 deg/s, random way)
+      // — fine particles drifting around the rocks, not locked to them.
+      debrisSpin: (rng.next() < 0.5 ? 1 : -1) * rng.range(0.2, 0.5) * DEG,
+      debris,
+      asteroids: members.map((m, k) => ({
+        frame: frames[k],
+        x: m.x,
+        y: m.y,
+        size: m.size,
+        spin: spins[k],
+        phase: phases[k],
+      })),
+    });
+  }
+  return clusters;
+}
+
+/**
+ * A random point in the annulus [rMin, rMax] around the origin (uniform in
+ * AREA) that is ≥ minSep from every placed object — seeded rejection
+ * sampling. If the annulus is hopelessly crowded (it isn't, at these
+ * numbers) it returns the best candidate rather than failing.
+ */
+function placeInAnnulus(rng, rMin, rMax, placed, minSep, maxAttempts) {
+  let best = null;
+  for (let attempt = 0; attempt < maxAttempts; attempt++) {
+    const a = rng.range(0, TAU);
+    const r = Math.sqrt(rng.range(rMin * rMin, rMax * rMax));
+    const x = Math.cos(a) * r;
+    const y = Math.sin(a) * r;
+    let ok = true;
+    let worst = Infinity;
+    for (const p of placed) {
+      const d = Math.hypot(x - p.x, y - p.y);
+      if (d < minSep) {
+        ok = false;
+        if (d < worst) worst = d;
+      }
+    }
+    if (ok) return { x, y };
+    if (best === null || worst > best.worst) best = { x, y, worst }; // best = furthest from the closest object
+  }
+  return { x: best.x, y: best.y };
+}
+
+/** The starting system's initial tether radius (home world's level). */
+function homeTetherRadius() {
+  const level = Math.max(1, Math.floor(config.get('tether.homeLevel', 1)));
+  const base = config.get('tether.level1Radius', 5120);
+  const growth = config.get('tether.radiusGrowth', 1.25);
+  return base * Math.pow(growth, level - 1);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Blend a hex tint anchor toward white by `strength` (0 = white, 1 = the
+ * anchor) → a 24-bit canvas tint. Pure (no Phaser — this runs in Node).
+ */
+function mixTint(hex, strength) {
+  let h = String(hex ?? '').trim().replace(/^#/, '');
+  if (h.length === 3) h = h.split('').map((c) => c + c).join('');
+  const n = parseInt(h, 16);
+  if (!Number.isFinite(n)) return null;
+  const mix = (c) => Math.round(255 + (c - 255) * strength);
+  return (mix((n >> 16) & 255) << 16) | (mix((n >> 8) & 255) << 8) | mix(n & 255);
+}
+
 /**
  * Core→rim density: the settled heart of the galaxy has more activity per
  * system; the rim is thinner, lonelier. `factor` scales every settlement
diff --git a/js/galaxy/SystemReport.js b/js/galaxy/SystemReport.js
index 338c8b1..8334726 100644
--- a/js/galaxy/SystemReport.js
+++ b/js/galaxy/SystemReport.js
@@ -42,9 +42,12 @@ export function formatSystemReport(content, typeDefs = null, kindDefs = null) {
       : `${n} settlement${n === 1 ? '' : 's'} · pop ~${formatPop(population)}`;
 
   const planetN = content.planets.length;
+  const asteroidN = Array.isArray(content.asteroids) ? content.asteroids.length : 0;
   return {
     title: content.name,
-    subtitle: `${typeDef.label ?? content.type} system · star ${content.star.class} · ${planetN} planet${planetN === 1 ? '' : 's'}`,
+    subtitle:
+      `${typeDef.label ?? content.type} system · star ${content.star.class} · ${planetN} planet${planetN === 1 ? '' : 's'}` +
+      (asteroidN ? ` · ${asteroidN} asteroid cluster${asteroidN === 1 ? '' : 's'}` : ''),
     settlements,
     summary,
     population,
diff --git a/js/scenes/GameScene.js b/js/scenes/GameScene.js
index c175ff9..a73c86d 100644
--- a/js/scenes/GameScene.js
+++ b/js/scenes/GameScene.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { formatSystemReport } from '../galaxy/SystemReport.js';
 import { Discovery } from '../galaxy/Discovery.js';
 import { Ship } from '../entities/Ship.js';
 import { Planet } from '../entities/Planet.js';
+import { AsteroidCluster } from '../entities/AsteroidCluster.js';
 import { Starfield } from '../visuals/Starfield.js';
 import { DiscoveryCompass, circleInView } from '../ui/DiscoveryCompass.js';
 import { ActionBar } from '../ui/ActionBar.js';
@@ -69,6 +70,20 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
         },
       );
     }
+
+    // The asteroid spritesheet (data/asteroids.json → texture): 128×128
+    // rock frames, one per cluster member (the generator picks frames).
+    const asteroidTexture = config.get('asteroids.texture', '');
+    if (asteroidTexture && config.get('asteroids.enabled', true) !== false) {
+      this.load.spritesheet(
+        AsteroidCluster.TEXTURE_KEY,
+        asteroidTexture,
+        {
+          frameWidth: config.get('asteroids.frameWidth', 128),
+          frameHeight: config.get('asteroids.frameHeight', 128),
+        },
+      );
+    }
   }
 
   create() {
@@ -119,7 +134,25 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
         this.systemPlanets.push(p);
       }
     }
-    this.solidPlanets = [this.planet, ...this.systemPlanets];
+
+    // Asteroid clusters — loose groups of slowly tumbling rocks scattered
+    // through the system's void (data/asteroids.json). Every cluster is a
+    // DISCOVERABLE object (the compass knows it once found) and a SOLID one
+    // (the ship can park at a rock's rim, never fly through it) — the same
+    // contract as the worlds, at rock scale. Mining them comes later.
+    this.asteroidClusters = [];
+    if (config.get('asteroids.enabled', true) !== false) {
+      for (const rec of this.systemContent.asteroids ?? []) {
+        this.asteroidClusters.push(new AsteroidCluster(this, rec, { depth: 5 }));
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Every solid in the system — worlds first (their keep-out circles are
+    // disjoint), then the clusters. Ship constraint, click-to-fly clamping
+    // and autopilot all run against this list.
+    this.solids = [this.planet, ...this.systemPlanets, ...this.asteroidClusters];
+    this.planet.discoveryId = 'home';
+    this.planet.discoveryName = this.homeWorldName;
 
     // The ship — a short hop (~150 px, edge-to-edge) from the home world's
     // rim, in a seed-derived direction: same galaxy ⇒ same start.
@@ -231,29 +264,53 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
       if (this.actionBar && this.actionBar.contains(pointer.x, pointer.y)) return;
       if (this.compass.contains(pointer.x, pointer.y)) return;
       let aim = { x: pointer.worldX, y: pointer.worldY };
-      for (const p of this.solidPlanets) {
-        aim = p.aimPoint(aim.x, aim.y, this.ship.radius);
+      for (const s of this.solids) {
+        aim = s.aimPoint(aim.x, aim.y, this.ship.radius);
       }
       aim = this.tetherField.clampPoint(aim.x, aim.y);
       this.showTargetMarker(aim.x, aim.y);
       this.ship.setTarget(aim.x, aim.y);
       this.hideHint();
     });
+
+    // The solid keep-outs run AFTER the arcade world has integrated the
+    // ship's motion (the scene's 'postupdate' fires after the physics step
+    // has moved the sprite). Constrained in update() instead, the body
+    // re-applies this frame's inward velocity right after the push-out —
+    // the ship would dip a frame-deep into every rim it meets at speed.
+    this.events.on('postupdate', this.onPostUpdate, this);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Post-physics constraints: every solid in the system (worlds AND
+   * asteroid clusters) holds the ship back at its clearance — fly close,
+   * never through — and the tether holds the player's range (clamped to
+   * the union boundary, the line shudders where it was hit).
+   */
+  onPostUpdate(_time, delta) {
+    for (const s of this.solids) {
+      s.constrainShip(this.ship, this.ship.radius);
+    }
+    const contact = this.tetherField.constrainShip(this.ship);
+    if (contact) this.onTetherContact(contact);
   }
 
   /**
    * The galaxy comes from the shared registry (built by the menu from the
    * chosen seed). Dev boots that skip the menu (dev/test-game.html) get a
-   * fresh dev galaxy so the scene always works standalone.
+   * fresh dev galaxy so the scene always works standalone — with a
+   * deterministic seed when one is injected (`globalThis.__ORBIT_DEV_SEED`,
+   * set by dev/smoke-game.mjs from ?seed=…).
    */
   ensureGalaxy() {
     this.galaxy = this.registry.get('galaxy') ?? null;
     if (!this.galaxy) {
-      const seed = Rng.randomSeedString(8);
+      const devSeed = typeof globalThis !== 'undefined' ? globalThis.__ORBIT_DEV_SEED : null;
+      const seed = devSeed && String(devSeed).length > 0 ? String(devSeed) : Rng.randomSeedString(8);
       this.galaxy = Galaxy.create(seed);
       this.registry.set('galaxy', this.galaxy);
       this.registry.set('seed', seed);
-      console.warn(`[orbit] no galaxy in the registry — generated a dev galaxy (seed "${seed}")`);
+      if (!devSeed) console.warn(`[orbit] no galaxy in the registry — generated a dev galaxy (seed "${seed}")`);
     }
   }
 
@@ -338,17 +395,10 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this.time.update(_time, delta);
     this.tweens.update();
     this.ship.update(_time, delta);
-    // Every world in the system is solid: the ship may come within the
-    // clearance in data/planets.json of a rim, but never closer (or
-    // through it).
-    for (const p of this.solidPlanets) {
-      p.constrainShip(this.ship, this.ship.radius);
-    }
-    // The tether is the player's range: anywhere in the union of its
-    // tethers' zones is space; outside it, the ship is clamped to the
-    // boundary and the line shudders where it was hit.
-    const contact = this.tetherField.constrainShip(this.ship);
-    if (contact) this.onTetherContact(contact);
+    // The clusters are ALIVE: each rock tumbles, the loose group drifts,
+    // the dust orbits. (The keep-out constraint runs in onPostUpdate,
+    // after the physics step has moved the ship.)
+    for (const c of this.asteroidClusters) c.update(_time);
     this.updateCamera(delta);
     this.starfield.update(); // after the camera, so it sees this frame's motion
     this.tetherField.tick(_time, delta); // glitch/pulse lifecycle
@@ -485,6 +535,18 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
         name: p.discoveryName,
       });
     }
+    // Asteroid clusters count as objects too: discoverable, compass arrows,
+    // autopilot — at the scale of their extent (bound).
+    for (const c of this.asteroidClusters) {
+      out.push({
+        id: c.discoveryId,
+        x: c.x,
+        y: c.y,
+        radius: c.bound,
+        typeLabel: config.get('asteroids.typeLabel', 'Asteroid Cluster'),
+        name: c.discoveryName,
+      });
+    }
     return out;
   }
 
@@ -493,25 +555,25 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
    * to this): send the ship to a discovered object. It flies to the
    * keep-out rim — the clearance point on the side the ship is coming
    * from — and arrives to a stop, exactly like a click-to-fly onto the
-   * rim. Clicking elsewhere retargets the same way (last click wins).
+   * rim. Works for worlds AND asteroid clusters (the solid behind the
+   * discovery entry). Clicking elsewhere retargets the same way (last
+   * click wins).
    */
   autopilotTo(id) {
     const o = this.discoverableObjects().find((v) => v.id === id);
     if (!o) return;
-    // The solid planet behind this discovery entry.
-    const planet =
-      id === 'home' ? this.planet : (this.systemPlanets.find((p) => p.discoveryId === id) ?? this.planet);
+    // The solid body behind this discovery entry (a world or a cluster).
+    const solid = this.solids.find((s) => s.discoveryId === id) ?? this.planet;
     // Approach point: on the rim (clearance + hull), on the side the ship
     // is approaching from (center → ship direction) — it ends up facing
-    // the world. If the world is outside the player's tether range, the
+    // the object. If the object is outside the player's tether range, the
     // aim clamps to the union boundary — the ship flies as far as its
     // tether lets it (and rests on the line) until the tether grows.
     const dx = this.ship.x - o.x;
     const dy = this.ship.y - o.y;
-    const d = Math.hypot(dx, dy) || 1;
-    let aim = planet.edgePoint(Math.atan2(dy, dx), planet.clearance, this.ship.radius);
-    // Belt and braces: no other world may own this point either.
-    for (const p of this.solidPlanets) aim = p.aimPoint(aim.x, aim.y, this.ship.radius);
+    let aim = solid.edgePoint(Math.atan2(dy, dx), solid.clearance, this.ship.radius);
+    // Belt and braces: no other solid may own this point either.
+    for (const s of this.solids) aim = s.aimPoint(aim.x, aim.y, this.ship.radius);
     aim = this.tetherField.clampPoint(aim.x, aim.y);
     this.showTargetMarker(aim.x, aim.y);
     this.ship.setTarget(aim.x, aim.y);
diff --git a/js/utils/NameGenerator.js b/js/utils/NameGenerator.js
index 127fda9..aa19539 100644
--- a/js/utils/NameGenerator.js
+++ b/js/utils/NameGenerator.js
@@ -39,6 +39,12 @@ const FALLBACK = {
     minParts: 3,
     maxParts: 5,
   },
+  asteroid: {
+    syllables: ['ka', 'ver', 'dor', 'thra', 'nix', 'oru', 'mal', 'cra', 'zeth', 'vel', 'kor'],
+    minParts: 2,
+    maxParts: 3,
+    suffixes: ['Field', 'Drift', 'Patch', 'Reef', 'Shoals', 'Belt'],
+  },
   // Tiny built-in pools so the game still names things if data/naming.json
   // is missing. The real banks live in data/naming.json → banks.
   planet: ['New Denver', 'Klaxoria', 'New Austin', 'Zyneatha', 'New Phoenix', 'Vexithunhal', 'New Dallas', 'Kordrasul'],
@@ -103,6 +109,17 @@ export const NameGenerator = {
     return joinSyllables(rng, syllables, g.minParts ?? 3, g.maxParts ?? 5);
   },
 
+  /**
+   * An asteroid cluster name: "Kaveru Field" — synthesised syllables plus a
+   * field-like suffix (unbounded, like stars; data/naming.json → asteroid).
+   */
+  asteroid(rng) {
+    const s = section('asteroid', FALLBACK.asteroid);
+    const syllables = Array.isArray(s.syllables) && s.syllables.length ? s.syllables : FALLBACK.asteroid.syllables;
+    const suffixes = Array.isArray(s.suffixes) && s.suffixes.length ? s.suffixes : FALLBACK.asteroid.suffixes;
+    return `${joinSyllables(rng, syllables, s.minParts ?? 2, s.maxParts ?? 3)} ${rng.pick(suffixes) ?? 'Field'}`;
+  },
+
   /**
    * A shuffled deck of PLANET names for one system. The first N draws are N
    * distinct names (until the bank is exhausted). Pure function of (rng) ⇒