In No Man's Sky, you will find a Space Station in every inhabited Star System throughout the game. These are frequent hubs for you whilst adventuring and trying to reach the center of the galaxy. On Space Stations, you can trade items, upgrade your character, and do lots more. Here's everything you need to know about Space Stations in No Man's Sky.
Space Stations consist of a central runway with amenities on either side. For the purposes of this guide, left and right will be determined by assuming you are standing on the Space Station runway looking out into space.
Updated by September 20, 2021, by Harry Alston: We've updated this list to include some changes aboard the Space Station as of the Frontiers update, as well as added an extra section about Abandoned Space Stations and what to do when you find one.
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Quick Note: Do not shoot at Space Stations. Sentinel ships appear out of nowhere. They do not take kindly to you trying to explode their space station. |
Left Side Of The Space Station
On the left side of the station, you will find various NPCs to talk to, along with a teleporter and trade terminal.
Mission Agent
Players can speak to the mission agent to take on contracts for various jobs including hunting pirates and ferrying items between solar systems. There are many potential rewards for these such as units and blueprints.
Envoy
Interact with the Envoy to earn rewards from the various guilds in No Man's Sky. Before you can speak to the envoy, you must have a good reputation with the guild they represent.
Cartographer
Planetary Charts are available to purchase from Cartographers. You can exchange navigation data to receive a specific planetary chart which can lead to various points of interest such as outposts and distress signals. You can also purchase random planetary charts with nanites, but you can't choose which point of interest you want to discover.
As of the brand new No Man's Sky Frontiers update, Cartographers will now sell Settlement Charts alongside their other maps. These can be used to find nearby settlements. Charts can be purchased from the Cartographer for 5 Navigation Data.
Teleporter
If you have built a base on a planet, then teleporters are essential. You can interact with them to teleport back to your base -- regardless of how far away you are from that planet. This means you can explore to your heart's content, whilst always having a base waiting for you.
Galactic Trade Terminal
If you need to purchase materials or want to make some quick units, you can trade goods at the Galactic Trade Terminal. Find the exchange along the left wall of the space station and interact with it to see what you can buy.
No Man's Sky has an in-game economy, so prices will fluctuate depending on the demand for specific materials in different Star Systems.
Right Side Of The Space Station
On the right side of the Space Station, there are various merchants, as well as different upgrade and customization terminals.
Starship Outfitting
Use the starship outfitting terminal to upgrade your ship. You can purchase more storage for Units, or upgrade the class of your ship for Nanites. Storage Augmentations provide a free storage upgrade. You can also scrap your ship using the outfitting terminal.
Scrap Dealer
Since Derelict Freighters were added to No Man's Sky in the Desolation Update, a Scrap Dealer has been available at Space Stations. You can trade Tainted Metal with the dealer to get various pieces of contraband, as well as some decorations for your character or base.
If you want to find a derelict freighter, you can acquire coordinates, but the dealer charges a high price. You can get directions to a derelict freighter for 5 million Units.
Appearance Modifier
Those wanting to customize their character can do so using the Appearance Modifier. This allows you to change everything about your characters, such as race, body shape, backpack, armour, and every piece of clothing. If you aren't happy with just the basic Anomaly skin, come here to completely change your appearance.
Exosuit Research
Speak to the exosuit research merchant to purchase different upgrade modules for your exosuit. There is a range of modules available, including Life Support Upgrades, Movement Upgrades, and better Shields. You can also purchase modules that protect you from different environmental hazards, such as radiation and heat.
Use the Exosuit Upgrade Terminal next to the merchant to upgrade your Exosuit. Here, you can purchase more inventory slots in exchange for Units.
Exocraft Research
The Exocraft upgrade merchant offers various upgrade modules for your land vehicles in exchange for Nanites. You can buy lots of upgrades, including better cannons, engines, and mining lasers.
Starship Research
Those wanting to upgrade their ship should speak with the Starship Research Merchant. They offer upgrade modules for all parts of the Starship, such as engines, hyperdrive, and cannons. These upgrades will take it far beyond the starship you find when you first start the game.
Multi-Tool Research
The Multi-Tool is extremely versatile in No Man's Sky. It can be used for both fighting and mining, which are the core gameplay loops when exploring planets. If you need to start doing more damage to Sentinels, or want to mine materials quicker, purchase upgrade modules for your Multi-Tool here.
There is a weapon terminal to the left of the Multi-Tool Merchant. Interact with the terminal to see a random powerful weapon. These can be very expensive but are extremely powerful. They can also have lots of slots available for future upgrades, making them well worth the asking price.
If you don't have millions of Units available for a new Multi-Tool, you can still upgrade your current one. You can buy new slots with Units, or upgrade the class of your Multi-Tool using Nanites. If you have a Multi-Tool Expansion Slot, you can add a new slot for free.
Other Activities
Whilst on a Space Station, there is always plenty to be done. Each new station introduces tons of new NPCs to interact with. They'll just be wandering around and will sometimes give out free upgrades or units.
Depending on which species is more prominent in the system, you will run into more Korvax, Vy'Keen, or Gek. You may even run into the occasional Traveler, too. Space stations in No Man's Sky are also great places to pick up new ships.
Purchase New Starships and Trade With Pilots
If a starship lands on the runway, head over and interact with the pilot. You can trade materials with them and even inquire about purchasing their ship. These can be pricey but are often a big upgrade.
Talk To Lifeforms To Learn About Different Races
Go up the stairs to either side of the Space Station to find some NPCs walking around. Interact with them to learn new words in their dialect, or offer them gifts to increase your standing with their race.
Abandoned Space Stations In No Man's Sky
As well as populated stations with NPCs, traders, and terminals, you might also stumble across an abandoned space station on your adventures. These are hollowed-out, mostly ruined stations that have a red tractor beam rather than blue as you approach.
There are no NPCs onboard Abandoned Stations, although you will find a working teleport and trade terminal. Some locked rooms can be accessed with an Atlas v3 pass, and you might be able to collect some loot from onboard.