5. n=1,2,3.
Let X′ denote the gas station symmetric to X with respect to the center of the sphere.
When n=1, the conclusion is obviously true.
For n=2, let AB=A′B′ be the minimum spherical distance between two gas stations.
By the given condition, a car starting from A can reach A′. Assume this path is A→B′→A′ (the path A→B→A′ is similar). The fuel at B is sufficient for the car to travel to the nearest gas station A, thus, B→A→B′→A′ is a feasible path.
For n=3, let the six gas stations be A,A′,B,B′,C,C′. As shown in Figure 3, let AB=A′B′ be the minimum spherical distance between two gas stations, and assume B is the nearest gas station to C. Divide all gas stations into two groups:
S={A,B,C},S′={A′,B′,C′},
A car starting from any gas station can reach the other group.
(1) If a car starting from A cannot reach S′ via the path A→B, then it also cannot reach S′ via the path A→C, otherwise, the path A→B→C→S′ would be feasible (since the fuel at B is not less than the consumption of the path A→B, and BC⩽AC). Therefore, a car starting from A can only directly reach S′. The nearest gas station in S′ to A is C′, thus, the path C→B→A→C′→B′→A′ is feasible.
Similarly, if a car starting from A′ cannot reach S via the path A′→B′, then the path C′→B′→A′→C→B→A is feasible.
(2) If the assumption in (1) does not hold, then the car can first travel directly from A to B. Since S′ is still reachable, and BC⩽BC′=d(B,S′), the car can continue from B to C.
The fuel at C is not less than the consumption of the path B→C, and
d(C,S′)=CA′⩽BC′=d(B,S′),
Thus, after reaching C, S′ is still reachable, and the nearest gas station in S′ to C is A′.
Therefore, the path A→B→C→A′→B′→C′ is feasible.
The above proves that n=1,2,3 all satisfy the requirements.
Next, construct a counterexample for n⩾4.
As shown in Figure 4, assume the half-circumference of a great circle on the planet is 1.
Place the gas stations A2,A3,⋯,An on a great circle, and satisfy
A2A3=A3A4=⋯=An−1An=d<n−11,
and arrange the position of gas station A1 such that
A1A3=d, and A1A2=A1A4.
Assume the gas stations A1,A1′,⋯,An−1,An−1′ each store the fuel required to travel a distance d, and An、An′ each store the fuel required to travel a distance 1−(n−2)d. Then a car starting from any gas station can reach the symmetric gas station. The corresponding feasible paths are
and A1→A3→A4→⋯→An→A2′→A3′→A1′Ai→Ai+1→⋯→An→A2′→A3′→⋯→Ai′,
where 2⩽i⩽n.
However, let
S={A1,A2,⋯,An},S′={A1′,A2′,⋯,An′},
then the fuel at each of A1,A2,⋯,An−1 is only sufficient for the car to travel to the nearest gas station, and the fuel at An、An′ is only sufficient for the car to travel to the other group (An to A2′, An′ to A2). Therefore, to visit all gas stations, a car starting from S can only visit all gas stations in S without using the fuel at An, which is impossible.
A car starting from S′ is similar.
This provides a counterexample for n⩾4.
In summary, the values of n that satisfy the requirements are only 1,2,3.