You find out by playing the game.
I know it's old fashioned, but that's what made games like Jagged Alliance great. It doesn't even allow you to create a playable character without engaging your brain and trial & error.
yeah not really. while the sirius permit is one of the easier ones to figure out (because the engineer tells you how to get it) there are some that are just mysteries that don't offer a starting place. similar to a new player trying to figure out anything about thargoid sites before that was kinda improved. knowing that there is a 15ly radius is even something that gives a starting place, which again is something not knowable in game.
playing the game is one thing where there are breadcrumbs that can lead you and inform you if you are on the right path. compared to now where, if i didn't want to use any offline help, would need to go through exhaustive trial and error using the scientific method to hopefully deduce a pattern that can relied upon.
sorry, but i just got off work. i want my games to provide a challenge but providing no information is a bit extreme. i don't think i'm speaking out of my airlock when i say elite can benefit from providing more consistent information even if that information is meant to promote exploration of the game mechanics and is thin on detail.
The system description on the in-game map should say which faction you need to be allied with to get the permit.
i'll check again but i've looked on the right panel systems list and the gal map and i don't recall seeing anything that offers a suggestion.