Exploration ship and loadout?

[Podgie]

I am wanting to do exploration at insanely far distances. Not too worried about taking weapons but would like to be able to have a rover just for fun. Looking for ship and build suggestions, and if possible $ amount for an approximate full purchase.

[Veritas]

[Diamondback Explorer]

-Utility: 0I Heat Sink Launcher (just in case.)

Core:
4D Power Plant
4D Thrusters
5A Frame Shift Drive
3D Life Support
4D Power Distributor
3D Sensors
the essentials, lightest weight and furthest jump range

Add ons:
4A Fuel Scoop (required)
4A Auto Field-Maintenance Unit (optional, but highly recommended for extreme distance exploring)
1C Detailed Surface Scanner -- if you want to get full value for water worlds, terraformables, earthlikes, etc.
3C bi-weave shields or 3D shields (optional, not really needed for anything other than planetary landings-- class 3 lets you smack full force and survive most of the time so maybe a little overkill)
SRV hanger + scarab (optional): again, for planetary landings if you want to do them with Horizons

this will cost just under $15,000,000, but you can buy the ships from Jameson Memorial if you have any Elite rank for 10% off all outfitting + the hull or from a control system under the influence of Li Yong-rui for 15% off. Use eddb.io to find these stations/modules.

Personally I don't recommend the Asp Explorer if you want to do planetary landings, it's decelleration is garbage and hard to steer when approaching the surface even with A rated thrusters and engineering.

[wolfheart303]

https://inara.cz/cmdr-fleet/92023/477760/

This is the ship I'm out running around in currently. Note that the A-Rated modules are a personal choice, you would greatly increase the jump range by dropping most modules down to the lightweight D-Rated models. Even then, I'm getting just under 45 ly per jump with a 3/4 engineered G5 5A FSD. I expect I'll get a couple more ly out of it once I finish upgrading the module, but that won't be for awhile. I'm about halfway out on an 8,000 ly expedition at the moment.

All in all, it's not bad for a ship that costs less than $26 million credits. If you sink time and materials into engineering other modules for lightweight, the AspX really is a great explorer.

[Casual Overload Gaming]

There are a lot more options for exploring now, depending on what you have unlocked and what your budget is. Laden jump distance really doesn't matter unless you're trying to reach something hard to reach, or find yourself in one of the rifts where stars are sparse.

The Diamondback Explorer is great, especially for the price. With engineering and a Guardian FSD booster, you'll easily get more than 65 Ly with the right load-out. It'll carry all you need, which really is only an AFMU and an SRV hanger. The AFMU is really only necessary if you choose to neutron hop.

The Asp Explorer and the Krait MK II have very similar internals and jump distances. One of the drawbacks to the Diamondback is the small fuel scoop. You'll find yourself lingering at stars just a little longer than the Asp or Krait which probably has a 6A fuel scoop.

The Krait Phantom gets a few more light years than the MK II.

Of course, if you want plenty of room to take all that you want and jump really, really far, the Anaconda can't be beat. But that's going to cost you much more than the other options.

That said, you can easily get most ships into the 45-50 Ly range these days with engineered FSD and a Guardian FSD booster.

Plus, there's something to be said for style. I've known people to explore in a Type 7, and currently a wing-mate explores in a Type 9. To each their own.

I've always thought, from a role-play perspective, a Dolphin would make a great small exploration ship. They just look comfortable inside and out.

You can outfit ships on www.coriolis.io and see price, engineering effects, and even stations that sell the loadout you configure.

Don't be in a hurry. Exploration is NOT about hurrying from point A to point B.

[malorob]

Amfu will repair modules but you will also need repaiir limpets to repair power plant and hull.

if you explore a planet and you hit the surface too hard you will need to repair..

if you want to go on a long journey you will need 2 AMFU so you can repair the other one.

[THE_RaBiD_CanuK]

Cobra mk. 3 is a great ship if you're on a budget. Asp Explorer is a really great explorer, too.

A-rate your power plant.
A 3A powerplant will output as much as a 4D powerplant, but produce a lot less heat. Great during refueling. Also, you can probably get away with a 2A powerplant on a medium ship if you mess around with power distribution.

Buy the best fuel scoop you can afford. Make sure it's A-rated (to reduce heat build up). This will save you a lot of time.

A-rate your FSD.

You can D-rate your shields and core modules in order to reduce weight and increase jump range.

2 heat sink launchers is a good idea for long voyages. Just for emergencies. You can shut one of them down to save power while the other is on.

I also like bringing a 4G-hangar so that I have a back up SRV.

Here's an example budget ship:

https://coriolis.io/outfit/cobra_mk_iii?code=A0p0tdFaldd8sdf4----0202325b-0dv62i.AwRj4lXag%3D%3D%3D.Aw1%2FkA%3D%3D..EweloBhBGA2EoFMCGBzANokMK4fiIA%3D%3D&bn=Exploracobra

[Hobo Misanthropus]

D rated power plants aren't recommended for most ships, as D rated have poor thermal effeciency, and I don't even think they're that much ligher than A rated right? However, A rated are stupidly expensive.

[fnberger]

Your first exploration ship will be a Hauler, as it will jump better than a Cobra, fit all you need and come at a surprisingly low price. Later you'll go for a Diamondback Explorer (my fave) or an ASP Explorer, in the endgame maybe an Anaconda. Heres an example for an exploration-fitted Hauler: https://s.orbis.zone/1ldj
Please note that only FSD and Fuel scoop should be A, all else D (or use A in power plant and distributer for better heat management). Removing the SRV vehicle bay will extend jump range an lot, but takes away the fun of driving on distant worlds.

[Hobo Misanthropus]

Adder should be used over Hauler, Hauler can't fit a good scoop, and its jump range drops significantly even with just the weight of the full fuel tank.

[malorob]

you can explore in anything , do sum surface prospecting and get mats to sythersize jumpodium
this can be used to increase your jump range. upto twice you max jump range.

so if you have 50ly jump range double it for 100% jumpodium boost to get 100ly.

[Podgie]

Thanks for all the input guys

[s0laris]

This might be one of the cheapest options:
https://coriolis.io/outfit/adder?code=A0p0t3F5l3d0sdf3-----2u3u2iv608.Iw1%2BkA%3D%3D.Aw1%2BkA%3D%3D..EweloBjEoUwQwOYBtYhARgtmuJA%3D

[/me]

A lot of good builds... but i strongly suggest you ignore any D-grade powerplant suggestions and go for the smallest fitting A-Grade powerplant. If you have engineers unlocked, make it armoured - this will further improve thermal load, greatly improves integrity and have a little more power output at the cost of some weight. Integrity is important because with an AFMU you can repair everything but a powerplant, the AFMU itself and hull.

personally recommended ships: DBX, ASPx, Krait Phantom, Anaconda.

[/me]

Originally posted by Ace:

Keep in mind bigger powerplant means it can vent heat faster. You will have a lower threshold for heat if you have a small powerplant. A smaller plant may run cooler, but it needs to vent vast amounts of heat from outside sources. I tried smaller powerplant and overheated nearly every jump.

I believe you confuse this with the grades A-E where E has the worst efficiency regardless of the powerplants size (2 up to 8).
If possible always stick to A-Grade and for further heat efficiency you need either low emissions or armored engineering modification. On smaller powerplants i recommend armored and larger ones (6 and above) you might want to go for a low emission PP.

[Tokfan]

https://s.orbis.zone/1lqf
As you can see, 4B power plant and TWO AFMUs and a lot of modules turned off.

Now here's the reasoning;
You wrote "I am wanting to do exploration at insanely far distances." and that's what we are going for.

B-rated power plant because those have the most integrity, and if you switch it down to smallest possible (2A) all you are getting is .9 Ly range. But what you DO get however is almost but not quite double integrity. Now why is that a good thing? Because out in the black you cannot use your AFMU to repair it, you've gotta head back to dock at Colonia or Bubble or one of the very few stations out there.
More integrity = longer trip, simple as that and since the difference in jump range is so low I feel you can afford the trade, or go with the 2A, your choice.
Just remember more load on powerplant = higher temps, and no mention of engineering so I'd go with a B-rated one eventhough the A is better when scooping just for the integrity.

Do keep in mind that it's your power plant that will determine how long you can stay out there, everything else can be repaired, refilled (well apart from your hull, but you really don't have slots for repair limpets & cargo rack). The AspX can't manage that either so if you got the cash go for a Krait Phantom, that thing has the magical 8 slots you want but it will set you back a hefty 95 million. (6A fuel scoop for ~28,7 mil so there's some savings to be made there) landing at 35,7 Ly range with 4B power plant (down/upscalable if you want to) and two SRVs

The distributor is 3D but you can downscale it to 1D but you'll loose the ability to boost off planet surfaces for a meager 0,2 Ly range. It's turned off because well, honestly it's not used in SC, just turn it on when you are going in for a landing.

You've got your shield turned off and your planetary hangar turned off, only turn the shields on when you are about to land and the hangar when you have landed.

2 (two) amfus because well, there's a free slot and one AMFU can repair the other incase you are short on synthesis materials. One AMFU cannot repair itself so this is handy, also turned off because once you need them you can just switch them off and kill your FSD, or run with the 2A on constantly "just incase".

Now the reason I've turned all that stuff off is because when your power plant is running at high load you will generate more heat while scooping, and since it's no vital modules i.e. a shield won't help you at all if you accidently stumble into some exclusion zone.

You DO have enough power to run all systems at once, but again... fuel drain and overheating, especially since we're taking a B-rated power plant and not an A-rated one. And with no cargo turning off that cargo hatch is a no-brainer.

That thing should be able to participate in Distant Worlds 2 w/o problems, the jump range req for that is 33,4 Ly w/o jumponium 16.something with. So you're safe.

Now if you blow up your SRV, there's no chance of getting any materials to synthesis any more stuff but all stuff you need to refill your AMFUs can be found in asteroids, so there might be a good thing to add a single mining laser.

Again, if you are going for "insanely far distance" it's up to you how safe you want to be. If you do go out with only a single heat sink stock up on Basic conductors & Heat conduction wirings first and as much iron & nickel you can be bothered to get (limpets, life support & SRV repair) aswell as nickel, zinc, chromium & vanadium (amfu refill) and sulphur & phosphorus (SRV refuel).
Ofc, you can get all those while out there, but back at home we got these nice crashed condas where you can go for a 1-stop get everything you need.

EDIT: I almost forgot; repair your FSD when it goes down to around 81%, it starts to glitch at and below 80.

[Casual Overload Gaming]

As you can see, opinions vary greatly. Let's see if we can agree on a few points:

1. There is a difference between need and want.
2. When exploring, there are very limited circumstances that will damage your ship. These are:
a. Getting too close to a star and taking heat damage (including falling out into the exclusion zone of a star).
b. Trying to boost from a neutron star which damages your FSD.
c. Getting caught in a neutron star exclusion zone.
d. Landing too hard on a planet (uusally because you didn't check the gravity).
e. Dropping into an asteroid ring too fast and taking damage.
e. Dropping out of Supercrise while going faster than 30k.

Most of the examples above are simply the results of poor piloting, and can be avoided easily enough.

Now, if I may illustrate by way of example, not an attempt to boast. I have travelled to Sagittarius A*, then Colonia (without stopping at a port), and back to the Bubble in an Asp Explorer. I have travelled to Beagle POInt and back in a Diamondback Explorer. I have done both without an AFMU or repair limpets. My exploration ships usually run D rated modules wherever possible. Sometimes I engineer the D rated modules, sometimes I don't.

When I scoop a star, I keep my distance so my heat is between 65% and 70%. I never take heat damage.

In my opinion, this[s.orbis.zone] ship will do everything you want it to do, jump 67 Ly, and only run you 17.3 million credits. You can take more stuff in a bigger ship to feel safer, but fly more carefully and you won't need to. By the way, if you haven't unlocked Guardian stuff, the FSD booster adds 10 Ly.

Any way you decide to go, have fun, and enjoy the ride! Fly safe, commander.