diff --git a/BuildController.gd b/BuildController.gd
index 8b64164..8e7bc3d 100644
--- a/BuildController.gd
+++ b/BuildController.gd
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ extends Node2D
 # Buy controls below them only describe the one the player tapped.
 var lab_vessel: String = GameState.VESSEL_INTERCEPTOR
 var lab_choice: int = 0
+var lab_building_id: int = 0
 @onready var planet_field: Node2D = get_node("../PlanetField")
 @onready var info_popup: Control = get_node("../UI/BuildMenu/InfoPopup")
 @onready var info_title: Label = get_node("../UI/BuildMenu/InfoPopup/Panel/TitleLabel")
@@ -488,6 +489,7 @@ func _on_action_pressed() -> void:
 		craft_menu.visible = true
 		_refresh_craft_status()
 	elif current_building.building_type == GameState.BUILDING_SHIP_LAB:
+		lab_building_id = current_building.building_id
 		lab_menu.visible = true
 		_refresh_lab()
 	elif current_building.building_type == GameState.BUILDING_COMMAND_CENTER:
@@ -878,25 +880,11 @@ func _on_lab_buy() -> void:
 	if options.is_empty():
 		return
 	var choice: Dictionary = options[lab_choice]
-	if choice.unlock:
-		if GameState.unlock_shield_vessel():
-			lab_status.text = "Shield vessel unlocked - build one at a ship crafter"
-		else:
-			lab_status.text = "Not enough ore: needs %d, you have %d" % [
-				GameState.UNLOCK_SHIELD_COST, GameState.rocks
-			]
-		lab_choice = 0
-		_refresh_lab()
+	var id: String = GameState.UNLOCK_SHIELD_VESSEL if choice.unlock else String(choice.id)
+	if not GameState.queue_lab_research(lab_building_id, id):
+		lab_status.text = "Research is already queued or complete"
 		return
-	var id: String = choice.id
-	if GameState.upgrade_maxed(id):
-		lab_status.text = "%s is already fully researched" % choice.name
-		return
-	var cost: int = GameState.upgrade_cost(id)
-	if not GameState.buy_upgrade(id):
-		lab_status.text = "Not enough ore: needs %d, you have %d" % [cost, GameState.rocks]
-		return
-	lab_status.text = "%s is now level %d" % [choice.name, GameState.upgrade_level(id)]
+	lab_status.text = "%s queued - deliver ore to this lab" % choice.name
 	_refresh_lab()
 
 
@@ -938,10 +926,10 @@ func _refresh_lab() -> void:
 
 	var choice: Dictionary = options[lab_choice]
 	lab_detail.text = "%s\n%s" % [choice.name, choice.desc]
-	if choice.unlock:
-		lab_buy_button.enabled = GameState.can_afford(GameState.UNLOCK_SHIELD_COST)
-	else:
-		lab_buy_button.enabled = GameState.can_buy_upgrade(choice.id)
+	var queued: Dictionary = GameState.lab_research_order(lab_building_id)
+	lab_buy_button.enabled = queued.is_empty() and (choice.unlock or not GameState.upgrade_maxed(choice.id))
+	if not queued.is_empty():
+		lab_status.text = "%s %d%%" % ["Researching" if bool(queued.started) else "Waiting for ore", int(100.0 * float(queued.elapsed) / maxf(GameState.lab_research_time(), 0.001))]
 	lab_buy_button.queue_redraw()
 
 
diff --git a/GameState.gd b/GameState.gd
index b95049b..0c0ae7d 100644
--- a/GameState.gd
+++ b/GameState.gd
@@ -357,6 +357,7 @@ const BUILD_TIMES: Dictionary = {
 	VESSEL_SHIELD: 16.0,
 	VESSEL_TRANSPORTER: 8.0,
 }
+const LAB_RESEARCH_TIME: float = 8.0
 
 
 # Test seam. Headless tests need the timed path - queued, started, finishing
@@ -368,6 +369,10 @@ var build_time_scale: float = 1.0
 func build_time(product: String) -> float:
 	return float(BUILD_TIMES.get(product, 10.0)) * build_time_scale
 
+
+func lab_research_time() -> float:
+	return LAB_RESEARCH_TIME * build_time_scale
+
 # Researched at the ship lab, per vessel type. Separate from SKILL_TREE on
 # purpose: that gates what the player may build at all and is a strategic
 # spine, while these are repeatable tuning on a vessel you already have.
@@ -712,6 +717,50 @@ func _advance_production(delta: float) -> void:
 		order_completed.emit(int(b.id), product)
 
 
+func queue_lab_research(lab_id: int, upgrade_id: String) -> bool:
+	var lab: Dictionary = find_building(lab_id)
+	if lab.is_empty() or lab.type != BUILDING_SHIP_LAB or upgrade_id == "":
+		return false
+	var orders: Array = lab.get("research_orders", [])
+	if not orders.is_empty() or (upgrade_id != UNLOCK_SHIELD_VESSEL and upgrade_maxed(upgrade_id)):
+		return false
+	orders.append({"id": upgrade_id, "elapsed": 0.0, "started": false})
+	lab.research_orders = orders
+	return true
+
+
+func lab_research_order(lab_id: int) -> Dictionary:
+	var lab: Dictionary = find_building(lab_id)
+	var orders: Array = lab.get("research_orders", [])
+	return {} if orders.is_empty() else orders[0]
+
+
+func _advance_lab_research(delta: float) -> void:
+	for lab in buildings:
+		if lab.type != BUILDING_SHIP_LAB:
+			continue
+		var orders: Array = lab.get("research_orders", [])
+		if orders.is_empty():
+			continue
+		var order: Dictionary = orders[0]
+		var id: String = String(order.id)
+		var cost: int = UNLOCK_SHIELD_COST if id == UNLOCK_SHIELD_VESSEL else upgrade_cost(id)
+		if not bool(order.started):
+			if int(lab.get("stock", 0)) < cost:
+				continue
+			lab.stock = int(lab.stock) - cost
+			order.started = true
+		order.elapsed = float(order.elapsed) + delta
+		if float(order.elapsed) < lab_research_time():
+			continue
+		if id == UNLOCK_SHIELD_VESSEL:
+			vessel_levels[id] = 1
+		else:
+			vessel_levels[id] = upgrade_level(id) + 1
+		vessel_upgraded.emit(id)
+		orders.pop_front()
+
+
 func claim_stored_vessel(index: int) -> String:
 	# Hands one finished vessel over to be crewed. Returns its type, or ""
 	# when there is nothing there - the caller decides whether the fleet
@@ -829,6 +878,7 @@ func _process(delta: float) -> void:
 	# Runs in the autoload, so mining and transport continue while the player
 	# is on a planet's surface or nowhere near either.
 	_advance_production(delta)
+	_advance_lab_research(delta)
 	_advance_vessel_deliveries(delta)
 	for e in extractors:
 		e.mining_progress = float(e.get("mining_progress", 0.0)) + delta * EXTRACTOR_RATE
diff --git a/GasVentField.gd b/GasVentField.gd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3976287
--- /dev/null
+++ b/GasVentField.gd
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+extends Node2D
+@onready var fleet: Node2D = get_node("../Fleet")
+var vents: Array[Vector2] = []
+var progress: float = 0.0
+func _ready() -> void:
+	var rng := RandomNumberGenerator.new()
+	rng.seed = hash(GameState.planet_name)
+	for i in range(6): vents.append(Vector2(rng.randf_range(-800,800), rng.randf_range(-650,650)))
+	queue_redraw()
+func _process(delta: float) -> void:
+	for vent in vents:
+		if fleet.get_centroid().distance_to(vent) < 90.0:
+			progress += delta
+			if progress >= 1.0:
+				GameState.gas += int(progress)
+				progress = fmod(progress, 1.0)
+			return
+	progress = 0.0
+func _draw() -> void:
+	for vent in vents:
+		NeonDraw.draw_glowing_polygon(self, PackedVector2Array([vent+Vector2(0,-44),vent+Vector2(38,-22),vent+Vector2(38,22),vent+Vector2(0,44),vent+Vector2(-38,22),vent+Vector2(-38,-22)]), Color(0.85,0.52,1),0.8,Color(0.15,0.03,0.22),0.5)
diff --git a/PlanetSurface.tscn b/PlanetSurface.tscn
index aa4a117..f5058a9 100644
--- a/PlanetSurface.tscn
+++ b/PlanetSurface.tscn
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[gd_scene load_steps=11 format=3]
+[gd_scene load_steps=12 format=3]
 
 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://GameController.gd" id="1"]
 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://LunarBackground.gd" id="2"]
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://TouchJoystick.gd" id="7"]
 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://RockField.gd" id="8"]
 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://ResourceCounter.gd" id="9"]
+[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://GasVentField.gd" id="10"]
 
 [sub_resource type="ShaderMaterial" id="1"]
 shader = ExtResource("3")
@@ -48,6 +49,10 @@ zoom = Vector2(1, 1)
 [node name="RockField" type="Node2D" parent="."]
 script = ExtResource("8")
 
+[node name="GasVentField" type="Node2D" parent="."]
+visible = false
+script = ExtResource("10")
+
 [node name="SurfaceController" type="Node2D" parent="."]
 script = ExtResource("5")
 
diff --git a/PlanetSurfaceController.gd b/PlanetSurfaceController.gd
index 63279f4..985e1b4 100644
--- a/PlanetSurfaceController.gd
+++ b/PlanetSurfaceController.gd
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@ var transitioning: bool = false
 
 
 func _ready() -> void:
+	if GameState.planet_type == "gas_giant":
+		# A gas giant is not lunar terrain: its surface view uses a deep,
+		# coloured atmosphere instead of the rocky field.
+		get_node("../RockField").visible = false
+		get_node("../GasVentField").visible = true
+		get_node("../BackgroundLayer/LunarBackground").color = Color(0.16, 0.035, 0.26, 1.0)
 	fleet.spawn_ships(GameState.surviving_ship_count, Vector2.ZERO)
 	camera.position = Vector2.ZERO
 	camera.zoom = Vector2(GameState.return_camera_zoom, GameState.return_camera_zoom)
diff --git a/WorldGen.gd b/WorldGen.gd
index ee0ce6f..4490807 100644
--- a/WorldGen.gd
+++ b/WorldGen.gd
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const CHUNK_SIZE: float = 1200.0
 const NOISE_SEED: int = 1337
 const ASTEROID_FIELD_THRESHOLD: float = 0.15
 const PLANET_THRESHOLD: float = 0.33
+const GAS_GIANT_THRESHOLD: float = 0.55
 
 const PLANET_NAMES: Array = [
 	"Kepler's Rest", "Ceres Minor", "Vesta's Shadow", "Ironhold",
@@ -61,10 +62,8 @@ static func biome_at_chunk(chunk: Vector2i) -> int:
 
 
 static func has_planet_at_chunk(chunk: Vector2i) -> bool:
-	if biome_at_chunk(chunk) != Biome.ASTEROID_FIELD:
-		return false
 	var n: float = _get_planet_noise().get_noise_2d(float(chunk.x), float(chunk.y))
-	return n > PLANET_THRESHOLD
+	return (biome_at_chunk(chunk) == Biome.ASTEROID_FIELD and n > PLANET_THRESHOLD) or (biome_at_chunk(chunk) == Biome.SPACE and n > GAS_GIANT_THRESHOLD)
 
 
 static func planet_data_at_chunk(chunk: Vector2i) -> Dictionary:
@@ -82,7 +81,7 @@ static func planet_data_at_chunk(chunk: Vector2i) -> Dictionary:
 	var shape_seed: int = rng.randi()
 	# A stable per-chunk roll makes gas giants persistent landmarks rather
 	# than a different resource whenever the scene reloads.
-	var gas_giant: bool = rng.randf() < 0.28
+	var gas_giant: bool = biome_at_chunk(chunk) == Biome.SPACE
 	if gas_giant:
 		planet_name = GAS_GIANT_NAMES[rng.randi() % GAS_GIANT_NAMES.size()]
 	return {"local_pos": local_pos, "name": planet_name, "shape_seed": shape_seed,
diff --git a/tests/test_lab_resources.gd b/tests/test_lab_resources.gd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e4cbeb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_lab_resources.gd
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+extends SceneTree
+
+var game: Node
+var lab_id: int
+var elapsed := 0.0
+
+func _initialize() -> void:
+	game = root.get_node("GameState")
+	game.buildings.clear()
+	game.vessel_levels.clear()
+	game.build_time_scale = 0.02
+	game.rocks = 500
+	lab_id = game.add_building(GameState.BUILDING_SHIP_LAB, Vector2.ZERO)
+	if not game.queue_lab_research(lab_id, "int_damage"):
+		_fail("could not queue research")
+
+func _process(delta: float) -> bool:
+	elapsed += delta
+	if elapsed < 0.2:
+		return false
+	var order: Dictionary = game.lab_research_order(lab_id)
+	if not order.is_empty() and not bool(order.started):
+		if game.rocks != 500:
+			return _fail("research drew from mothership bank")
+		game.deposit_to_building(lab_id, game.upgrade_cost("int_damage"))
+		return false
+	if game.upgrade_level("int_damage") == 1:
+		if game.building_stock(lab_id) != 0 or game.rocks != 500:
+			return _fail("local lab stock/payment was wrong")
+		print("lab research consumed local ore and completed over time")
+		print("TEST_LAB_RESOURCES: PASS")
+		quit(0)
+		return true
+	if elapsed > 3.0:
+		return _fail("research did not complete")
+	return false
+
+func _fail(message: String) -> bool:
+	print("TEST_LAB_RESOURCES: FAIL (%s)" % message)
+	quit(1)
+	return true