This is my log the day after return from my most distant exploration trip so far. I'm far from a rookie at exploration but until this trip my furthest journey from the Bubble had been at 4-5k ly.
Background
After flying my ASPx, Wildfire, for the majority of my career I had finally managed to get enough credits for a new ship. I decided upon the Phantom rather than the Anaconda, mostly because I also like to do some missions and a medium landing pad is available anywhere.
After a week of getting to know my ship through missions and another 5k ly jaunt I set about configuring my ship and choosing a paint job. Cobalt Moon was christened and had a jump range of 51k ly with a distance before refuel of 700 ly.
The Aim
To fly off to the eastern (relative) side of the galaxy and head upwards, looking to cut across towards the galactic core at some point and claim my exploration rite of passage
The Initial Phase
Lots of jumping and honking only on the way past the charted areas around the Bubble, exploration began at the Outer Orion Spur. Steady progress was being made and the decision was made to start heading upwards and cut up through Hawkings Gap and avoiding the hot spot of Eta Carina. The major blip on this leg was a heavy landing onto a rocky world, a very late second boost managed to turn a smash into a glancing blow but it was still damaging. A strong cup of tea was drank once a landing had been made.
The Middle and Some Exploration Lessons
Through the initial upwards leg I came across some neutron stars and decided to try riding the boost for the first time. I managed to nail it and had picked up a new tool in my exploration arsenal. In hindsight, neutron boosting would turn out to be the beginning of the end when it combined with my loadout. The journey progressed well until I engaged my FSD while still in heat damage range of a star, the jump was cancelled and modules were checked; there was minor damage to all modules but my FSD was at 87%. A quick search showed that neutron boosting was causing damage and that at 80% I would encounter FSD issues.
A decision needed to be made and whilst I was 11k ly from the Bubble I was still 23k ly from the galactic centre, the choice was easy but frustrating; back to the Bubble and hope for a clean run...
The Run Home
Things started well, I through in a couple of neutron boosts to leave me around 85% FSD which I thought would be enough margin of error. During this stage I encountered a undiscovered ELW and 2 undiscovered neutron stars, I continued with discovering and mapping at each system. This stage also had a couple of close shaves. The first of these was an encounter with a black hole; curiosity had got the better of me after finding one on the galmap, I managed to get too close and suffered additional damage. The second was an unfortunate event was to land between 2 stars in a binary system, heat damage peaked at 143%. The FSD was now at 81%, fortunately I was only 2k ly from the Bubble.
Considerations
A shield is essential for planetary landings, the 3D was up to the job.
Outfit Cobalt Moon with capabilities to perform repairs in flight, this will be essential on all future trips.
Reduce the amount of fuel carried, fuel remaining never fell below 2/3 so I have been carrying mass which is not being used.
The Final Result
Hull: 90%
FSD: 81%
Systems visited: ~670
ELWs: 1
Repairs of ~200,000cr
Notable Discoveries
Prua Dryoae JX-S d4-D 4 A: Water world orbiting a gas giant
Prooe Dryoae ND-Z d1-4 B2: Metal-rich Body with radius of 258km
Prooe- Dryoae ZV-T d4-28: System with large quantity of WW and HMCs
Prae Dryou SB-J d10-4: 6 stars arranged in 3 binaries
THAILE HC-5 D5-132 B A: Features a crater with a centre peak 4.5 km high, you lose mass lock halfway up the height of the crater
Pyroifeia PO-X d2-144 B1/2: 2 Metal Rich Bodies orbiting within 1.8Mm of each other
PHYLUCS YN-A C14-10: 10 gas giants (8 ringed)
BLO EUR PT-R d4-84 C 4: ELW
Brain Trees on planet not recorded
Various geological features
Future Plans
Run some missions, repair the paint or outfit some repair capabilities, reduce fuel tanks and aim for nothing once again with the final destination to be the galactic core.
Background
After flying my ASPx, Wildfire, for the majority of my career I had finally managed to get enough credits for a new ship. I decided upon the Phantom rather than the Anaconda, mostly because I also like to do some missions and a medium landing pad is available anywhere.
After a week of getting to know my ship through missions and another 5k ly jaunt I set about configuring my ship and choosing a paint job. Cobalt Moon was christened and had a jump range of 51k ly with a distance before refuel of 700 ly.
The Aim
To fly off to the eastern (relative) side of the galaxy and head upwards, looking to cut across towards the galactic core at some point and claim my exploration rite of passage
The Initial Phase
Lots of jumping and honking only on the way past the charted areas around the Bubble, exploration began at the Outer Orion Spur. Steady progress was being made and the decision was made to start heading upwards and cut up through Hawkings Gap and avoiding the hot spot of Eta Carina. The major blip on this leg was a heavy landing onto a rocky world, a very late second boost managed to turn a smash into a glancing blow but it was still damaging. A strong cup of tea was drank once a landing had been made.
The Middle and Some Exploration Lessons
Through the initial upwards leg I came across some neutron stars and decided to try riding the boost for the first time. I managed to nail it and had picked up a new tool in my exploration arsenal. In hindsight, neutron boosting would turn out to be the beginning of the end when it combined with my loadout. The journey progressed well until I engaged my FSD while still in heat damage range of a star, the jump was cancelled and modules were checked; there was minor damage to all modules but my FSD was at 87%. A quick search showed that neutron boosting was causing damage and that at 80% I would encounter FSD issues.
A decision needed to be made and whilst I was 11k ly from the Bubble I was still 23k ly from the galactic centre, the choice was easy but frustrating; back to the Bubble and hope for a clean run...
The Run Home
Things started well, I through in a couple of neutron boosts to leave me around 85% FSD which I thought would be enough margin of error. During this stage I encountered a undiscovered ELW and 2 undiscovered neutron stars, I continued with discovering and mapping at each system. This stage also had a couple of close shaves. The first of these was an encounter with a black hole; curiosity had got the better of me after finding one on the galmap, I managed to get too close and suffered additional damage. The second was an unfortunate event was to land between 2 stars in a binary system, heat damage peaked at 143%. The FSD was now at 81%, fortunately I was only 2k ly from the Bubble.
Considerations
A shield is essential for planetary landings, the 3D was up to the job.
Outfit Cobalt Moon with capabilities to perform repairs in flight, this will be essential on all future trips.
Reduce the amount of fuel carried, fuel remaining never fell below 2/3 so I have been carrying mass which is not being used.
The Final Result
Hull: 90%
FSD: 81%
Systems visited: ~670
ELWs: 1
Repairs of ~200,000cr
Notable Discoveries
Prua Dryoae JX-S d4-D 4 A: Water world orbiting a gas giant
Prooe Dryoae ND-Z d1-4 B2: Metal-rich Body with radius of 258km
Prooe- Dryoae ZV-T d4-28: System with large quantity of WW and HMCs
Prae Dryou SB-J d10-4: 6 stars arranged in 3 binaries
THAILE HC-5 D5-132 B A: Features a crater with a centre peak 4.5 km high, you lose mass lock halfway up the height of the crater
Pyroifeia PO-X d2-144 B1/2: 2 Metal Rich Bodies orbiting within 1.8Mm of each other
PHYLUCS YN-A C14-10: 10 gas giants (8 ringed)
BLO EUR PT-R d4-84 C 4: ELW
Brain Trees on planet not recorded
Various geological features
Future Plans
Run some missions, repair the paint or outfit some repair capabilities, reduce fuel tanks and aim for nothing once again with the final destination to be the galactic core.
