Best Ships for Exploration?

[Apollo]

I've been researching for the best exploration ships, but I haven't really found anything conclusive. What is the best ship before, and after engineering for exploration?

[luntacarsus]

Which ship do you like the feel of flying? Because you'll be in it for a long time.

There's no such thing as "best" exploration ship. They all have advantages and disadvantages. What specifically are you looking for? Jump range? All the tools? View from the cockpit?

[funkynutz]

The Fleet Carrier.

Mainly because I can take my entire fleet with me, anywhere. Want to take a screenshot of your Corvette or T9 on the furthest edge of the galaxy, then go zipping through a canyon in an Imperial Courier fitted for speed, and then go looking for plants in a DBX, all while 1000s of LY away from the bubble?

Then there's all the other bonuses. You've always got a support craft nearby for fuel/repairs/restock on limpets.
Sell your exploration and exobiology data whenever you like without having to find a station first.
Found a couple of high value planets/think you might have found some high value plants, but it's 400000LS away? Jump to it.

Sure you can get places quicker with a fuel scoop and decent jump range... But that's not exploring, it's travelling.

And while it might be slower for big journeys, the 500LY jump range makes it a hell of a lot easier to plot routes through voids with sparse system density, or permit locked bubbles.

Assuming you're thinking a bit smaller for now... The DBX or the Dolphin both make great little explorers.

Nothing beats the view out of the AspX canopy though.

[Dolphin Bottlenose]

The Dolphin, if you plan to land on planets to do exobiology scans on foot. It not only jumps well, but it also lands on even very rough terrains where some of those bio signals are. And it can charge its FSD while fuel scooping - so cold it runs!

[Dolphin Bottlenose]

Originally posted by funkynutz:

Nothing beats the view out of the AspX canopy though.

Type-9/Type-10 does. But you probably don't want to use it for exploration. :)

[FoolishOwl]

I was looking at the ships in use by experienced explorers, and there's more variety than I expected. But then, most of what you need for exploration is installed on all ships by default; you just need to add a detailed surface scanner, a fuel scoop, and an SRV.

That said, the ships I see most often are the Diamondback Explorer, the Krait Phantom, the Dolphin, and the Asp Explorer.

[ObjectOrient]

Fly what you enjoy because if you are an explorer you will be spending a LOT of time in it.

I use the diamondback explorer. After minimal investment and just a little engineering, it has the range I need and flied like a dream for me.

I could never fly in an ASP - not for any technical reason - I just hate the way that ship looks. Other players love the ASP and more power to them. I would never buy one.

[Dolphin Bottlenose]

Originally posted by ObjectOrient:

Other players love the ASP and more power to them.

That is correct: it fits a size-5 power plant, versus a size-4 of the Diamondback Explorer.

[Sighman]

Originally posted by Dolphin Bottlenose:

Originally posted by ObjectOrient:

Other players love the ASP and more power to them.

That is correct: it fits a size-5 power plant, versus a size-4 of the Diamondback Explorer.

Most explorers undersize the power plant though ;-) E.g. size 5 in a Conda.

[Dolphin Bottlenose]

Originally posted by Sighman:

Most explorers undersize the power plant though ;-) E.g. size 5 in a Conda.

Well, less power to them. :)

[malorob]

Best ship for me is the T7 yes you herd it right .
Great View in VR and plenty of internals to bring everything including the kitchen sink

and fully engineered it will get over 55Ly

or if you like Go Fuel tank explorer a couple of extra size 6 fuel tanks and you will cover 2000Ly with out the need to re fuel up.

I role played alot in mine as i use to believe i was lost in the universe trying to find my way home in one of the hunkeyest ships in the game

having those extra fuel tanks are great as i can take it off road so to speak and travel to places many people could not.

Brown star after brown star and can do this for 30 plus jumps with a 55Ly jump range.

Tip :

when you go exploring you go according to how you like to explore other wise you will have something is nothing to what you need.

suggest:

Go on a couple of small runs too see what you like.

This is why i choose the T7 it was the best fit for me.

[clerks_thedoctor]

So far, experience has led me to believe that the DB Explorer fully upgraded and engineered has been the best for getting around. I decided to go out and then out some more in search of artifacts and to find some undiscovered systems. (yes I finally did) The loop I went on made me take a jog to get passed some Thargoid swarms, bit then it was a straight (more or less) line "ENE" and slightly elevated from the galactic plane. When stars started to get thin I doubled back, heading "down" and to the "SSW" and ended up in the Pencil Sector. The route I took was not terribly long (about 3500 out and 3500 back), but in over 90% of that run, there was only 1 occupied "sorta" friendly system - if you can call a prison system friendly.

In that sense, the DB Explorer was (is) an excellent tool and companion. Agile enough and good for planetary exploration.

Fun part now, is after nearly a year away from gaming, I'm just recently back in the pilots chair. in Feb / Mar of 2023, we discovered that my wife had cancer and are only now seeing positive results. She's finally in remission.

I'm just trying to catch up on the Galactic News and a good path home.
o7 y'all

[Nobody]

Originally posted by Dolphin Bottlenose:

Originally posted by funkynutz:

Nothing beats the view out of the AspX canopy though.

Type-9/Type-10 does. But you probably don't want to use it for exploration. :)

I explore in a T-10 and it goes just fine. Also, I don't have to worry about a paper-thin hull :)

[Dolphin Bottlenose]

Originally posted by Nobody:

I explore in a T-10 and it goes just fine.

It goes just fine, yes. But I would rather want it to fly. :)

[shortfuse]

I use my Asp-X with V5 FSD. jumping 67 and something atm. :) Add a Rover if you want to land and mine :) By the way, Asp X has a great clear canopy, allowing you to enjoy a great view. Bare in mind that the V5 FSD heats more easily so take care while refuelling near stars.

[Jeebs]

Originally posted by shortfuse:

Bare in mind that the V5 FSD heats more easily so take care while refuelling near stars.

Does it? I've never noticed a difference myself. I'll fly close enough to get my fuel scooping rate in the 500's and still never hit the point where my ship gives me a temperature warning. I'll even sit there and scan with my FSS while doing it, most of the time far longer than it takes to fill my tank.