Exploration Builds

While the details of an exploration build heavily depend on your tastes and the specifics of your exploration routes, here's a few key principles/modules we'll be looking for, (very) roughly in order of importance :

  • A ship you like : You will be spending a lot of time in that ship, so having a ship you like is more important than pure efficiency. That includes a nice canopy, good handling and usually the ability to reach a good thermal efficiency.

  • Jump Range : This means, for the basics, three things - a pre-engineered SCO-capable FSD (with Mass Manager), a Guardian FSD Booster and everything else as light as you can manage. Every ton you bring is a trade-off between comfort and jump range.

  • Fuel Scoop : You will usually spend a long time far from any human presence, a fuel scoop and the knowledge to use it is critical. A bigger/better Scoop will also allow you to spend less time refueling and more time actually exploring.

  • Detailed Surface Scanner : A pre-engineered one, if you can afford it - having an upgraded DSS will render trivial the mapping mini-game.

  • A light shield : Some prefer to go shield-less, but for us mortals it's best to at least have a light shield - both to avoid scratching away your hull when landing on planets, and because it can save you hours of data if you have a second of inattention when exiting a glide.

  • AFMUs : If you plan on using the Neutron Highway (which can save you a lot of jumps when traveling), you need at least one AFMU (possibly a second one) to repair your FSD.

  • SRV Bay : While rarely strictly required for exploring, it's nice to have at least one SRV available for a change of pace on planets.

  • More fuel : Bringing more fuel tanks will reduce your jump range, but increase your total range before needing a refuel - which can be a valuable trade-off if you want more peace of mind on that matter.

Pre-Made Builds

Notes Design By Link
Starter DbX An "absolute minimum" starter, for a 12m investment. Merriadeck EDSY
Starter Mandalay A basic starter with no engineering or advanced modules, for a 50m investment. Merriadeck EDSY
Basic Mandalay A slightly improved Mandalay, with the two core upgrades for an explorer ship : a pre-engineered FSD and a guardian booster.
The DSS may be replaced with a pre-engineered one for added comfort when mapping planets.		 Merriadeck EDSY
Advanced Mandalay An advanced version of the Mandalay, with the essential engineering for an efficient explorer.
Depending on your tastes, the two free size-4 slots may be used for a bigger SRV bay, added AFMUs, or fuel tanks.		 Merriadeck EDSY
Luxurious Mandalay A fully engineered Mandalay, with a standard loadout for exploration.
Depending on your tastes, the two free size-4 slots may be used for a bigger SRV bay, added AFMUs, or fuel tanks.		 Merriadeck EDSY