Advice on "tons" of exploration data

UnionCarbide · Jul 31, 2017

I did a trek to Beagle Point -> SagA* ->Colonia->Bubble and have amassed quite a bit of exploration data. Any advice on where to dump the data for progression?

I'm good with Farseer and Martuuk. I really have not done much in the bubble so far.

I'm thinking Sirius and Palin, but are there others to consider. FYI, I'm sympathetic to the Empire.

o7 and thanks!

Cmdr Nemo · Jul 31, 2017

UnionCarbide said:
I did a trek to Beagle Point -> SagA* ->Colonia->Bubble and have amassed quite a bit of exploration data. Any advice on where to dump the data for progression?

I'm good with Farseer and Martuuk. I really have not done much in the bubble so far.

I'm thinking Sirius and Palin, but are there others to consider. FYI, I'm sympathetic to the Empire.

o7 and thanks!

I don't know the answer, but can't you just pull in to any station and sell it? I realize that it might pay better at one than another, but with months of data, and subject to loosing it at every junction, I think even if it's a lower price, it's still more than loosing it.

Azgodeth · Jul 31, 2017

he's refering to all the influence he will gain for that massive load of valuable data. im afraid im not knowledgeable enough about the politics yet to answer that well though. perhaps whoever's special weapon you like?

UnionCarbide · Jul 31, 2017

Cmdr Nemo LXXI said:
I don't know the answer, but can't you just pull in to any station and sell it? I realize that it might pay better at one than another, but with months of data, and subject to loosing it at every junction, I think even if it's a lower price, it's still more than loosing it.

Yeah, I could just sell it, but Palin and Sirius accept it for progression. That is what I'm looking for ATM.

I'm not worried about losing it. All the PVP action I have been in so far, I have been able to flip them the bird and escape unharmed. (Knocks on wood)

If it happens, so be it. I just want to maximize the value of the data for progression as most of my time is spent outside the bubble.

o7 CMDR.

Apollo Jenkins · Jul 31, 2017

UnionCarbide said:
Yeah, I could just sell it, but Palin and Sirius accept it for progression. That is what I'm looking for ATM.

I'm not worried about losing it. All the PVP action I have been in so far, I have been able to flip them the bird and escape unharmed. (Knocks on wood)

If it happens, so be it. I just want to maximize the value of the data for progression as most of my time is spent outside the bubble.

o7 CMDR.

If you are in for a big grind you could try to rank up at Sirius and sell it with 200% profit. But you need to be rank 5 for that. That's a very big grind.

Cmdr Nemo · Jul 31, 2017

Azgodeth said:
he's refering to all the influence he will gain for that massive load of valuable data. im afraid im not knowledgeable enough about the politics yet to answer that well though. perhaps whoever's special weapon you like?

Ahhhh, ok, I get it.

Maymo · Jul 31, 2017

How much is tons exactly?

I really wouldn't waste it on an engineer, they're really easy to rank up once you get a handle on materials...

Use it to take over a whole system!

For example you pick a really good system like Diaguandri. It's one of Li's systems so you get 15% discount and it has epic ships and outfitting at Ray Gateway.

You pop into Ray Gateway and drop off 5mil of exploration data to the controlling faction.
Then go to the planetary and drop off another 5mil to the controlling faction there.

That's now two factions who you're close to allied with in one system without doing a single mission. It's a good set up. If you can then identify where the other faction of Diaguandri live in the neighbouring systems you can maybe get a few more.

Sirius Corp for the Sirius permit is also good for Quent.
Alioth Independents for the Alioth permit for Bill Turner. G5 Plasma Accelerators for enemies and lightened Life Support and G5 detailed surface scanner if you want to go exploring again.

UnionCarbide · Jul 31, 2017

Azgodeth said:
he's refering to all the influence he will gain for that massive load of valuable data. im afraid im not knowledgeable enough about the politics yet to answer that well though. perhaps whoever's special weapon you like?

CMDR Maymo said:
How much is tons exactly?

I really wouldn't waste it on an engineer, they're really easy to rank up once you get a handle on materials...

Use it to take over a whole system!

For example you pick a really good system like Diaguandri. It's one of Li's systems so you get 15% discount and it has epic ships and outfitting at Ray Gateway.

You pop into Ray Gateway and drop off 5mil of exploration data to the controlling faction.
Then go to the planetary and drop off another 5mil to the controlling faction there.

That's now two factions who you're close to allied with in one system without doing a single mission. It's a good set up. If you can then identify where the other faction of Diaguandri live in the neighbouring systems you can maybe get a few more.

Sirius Corp for the Sirius permit is also good for Quent.
Alioth Independents for the Alioth permit for Bill Turner. G5 Plasma Accelerators for enemies and lightened Life Support and G5 detailed surface scanner if you want to go exploring again.

A loop from Summerland -> Beagle Point -> SagA* ->Colonia -> Summerland

I don't know a way to see how much that is, but I suspect a lot of exp data. What I need advice on is how to dump the data for progression as I will spend the bulk of my time outside exploring. If the Thargoids become an issue, I'll be happy to join in the cause to repel em. But for now, I'm a deep explorer.

Thanks for the info about Turner, Life Support upgrade will come in handy.

Codger · Jul 31, 2017

Engineer-wise, there's also Bill Turner. He requires an Alioth permit, since that's where his base is located. So that's another place you might want to sell data for rep.

Teh Smoo · Jul 31, 2017

You don't have to sell-page, you can drop just enough to max the faction, and save the rest. It works on superpowers as well, but they decay a little.

I think Sirius and Alioth are the big ones. Felicity, of course, but you must have her already. Isinor maybe? At this point, I just drop data anywhere, by who want rank with atm, and stations that I want better rewards from.

Alex Brentnall · Jul 31, 2017

So hi!

Option 1: Engineers Farseer and Martuuk. Both easy to unlock, both accept data to rank them to grade 5. Risk is whilst doing the unlock or whatever you die and loose the data.

Option 2: Powerplay. Li Yong Rui offers a +200% bonus to exploration data sale (credits). If you work up to the top grade, wait until the Thursday tick puts you in the rank then sell you'll end up with 3 times your current credit value of data. (50mil = 150mil etc). Same risk as above but higher risk of death due to powerplay.

Option 3: Permits. Find the right systems and unlock them. Sirius, Alioth, Vega and a few others are permits for engineers so worth doing whilst you have data. https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=122593 - As above just be careful flying around with that data.

Option 4: Sell it at several Federation or Empire systems for some rep and access to better missions. This doesn't give you as much rep/rank as you'd like imo but gives some and the access to missions to do more...

Factabulous · Jul 31, 2017

Alex covered the important ones, I now have a lot of permits

Also fun trying to find the permits where the source is not already known (though they are probably bugged, but maybe I'll be lucky ...)

just to add that if you want the most missions from a system it's worth looking for one with stations owned by multiple factions - your exploration CR go to the station's controlling faction. That way you can end up allied to 2+ factions in a system just from the exploration data and so will get better missions from more factions at more stations (as the factions probably have agents at each station). Check out the largest populated systems for Empire / Feds and see which has the best options.

And write down/record where you got allied! I didn't and now have less systems to choose from when I want to spam missions, as I don't know the first systems I got allied with, except when I visit

stormyuk · Jul 31, 2017

Apparently Vega needs Federation Rank Chief Petty Officer, so not sure exploration data will help there? (unless you use to get allied with some Federation minor factions for missions).

Factabulous · Jul 31, 2017

stormyuk said:
Sorry to hijack but so far I have Sirius and Alioth. What's Vega, I didn't see it on that permit list?

It's on the list Alex referenced - unlocked by Fed progression though.

Edit: Just yesterday I was unlocking Bill Turner - found I needed the Alioth permit, and luckily I had some of my exploration CR left - BOOM! permit acquired

KW001 · Jul 31, 2017

Cmdr Nemo LXXI said:
I don't know the answer, but can't you just pull in to any station and sell it? I realize that it might pay better at one than another...

Scan data is worth the same value everywhere.

Apollo Jenkins · Jul 31, 2017

KillWhitey said:
Scan data is worth the same value everywhere.

Except when you are Rank 5 at Sirius and you will get paid 200% at his places

KW001 · Jul 31, 2017

Apollo Jenkins said:
Except when you are Rank 5 at Sirius and you will get paid 200% at his places

Well..... I had no idea. On my way back from Sag A with oodles and oodles of scan data. How long does rank 5 take to achieve?

Apollo Jenkins · Jul 31, 2017

KillWhitey said:
Well..... I had no idea. On my way back from Sag A with oodles and oodles of scan data. How long does rank 5 take to achieve?

Depends on the size of your cargo space and your bank account. If you have 100mil you could buy and move 10.000 PCA's and then you are Rank 5. But basically it comes down on moving cargo and you are only allowed to move 20(?) units every half hour or you buy PCA's and move as much as you can. Buying PCA's can be profitable if you have loads of Exploration data.

KW001 · Jul 31, 2017

Might leave all that for a later date then I guess. Only 2500 LY out from Gagarin gate at the moment and I'll off load the 20k LY worth of data there rather than hang on to it and potentially die on the way back to the bubble.

Cheers for the info, though.

The New Number Two · Jul 31, 2017

OP, I'd say use at least some of it for the Alioth permit at 78 Ursae Majoris. Unlocking Turner by running missions was an all-day pain. Throw some more of it at Sirius Corp if you haven't unlocked Qwent yet. Just make sure the faction you want to ally with is actually in control where you dump it.