Thinking about a new exploration trip in order to raise my present Pioneer rating up to Elite. On my previous trips I stayed out on the edge of the bubble but wondered if it might be worth doing a trip in towards the centre this time. My python stripped back for exploration is capable of 30ly jumps. My question is if there is any difference whether one heads outwards or inwards on such a trip?.
Horizons Pros and Cons of Inner or Outer Bubble Exploration?.
- Thread starter Saltyseadog
- Start date
I'm no expert explorer but I think the key difference is that stars get closer together corewards, and farther apart outwards. So going far out might (emphasise 'might') get you to places where your 30ly range is a problem.
For me, a better idea would be to pick some stuff you want to see (eg, nebulae) and put together an itinerary to take in as many as you want. Some commanders just like to point and go, but others find it easier if you have a goal, things to look forward to, some way to measure your progress. Some of these itineraries are already available - eg, road to riches, road to Colonia, the earthlike worlds tour.
Edit to add: You might get a better response in the Exploration sub-forum.
For me, a better idea would be to pick some stuff you want to see (eg, nebulae) and put together an itinerary to take in as many as you want. Some commanders just like to point and go, but others find it easier if you have a goal, things to look forward to, some way to measure your progress. Some of these itineraries are already available - eg, road to riches, road to Colonia, the earthlike worlds tour.
Edit to add: You might get a better response in the Exploration sub-forum.
30ly may not be much of a limitation. With the new materials stocks capacities, it's fairly easy to collect enough ingredients for a large number of Basic, Standard and Premium jumponium charges (synthesized FSD boost juice) that can extend single-jump range either as part of your flight plan or for emergencies. This assuming planetary-landing capability since nearly all the mats are collected planetside.
Thanks for the replies, rep added.
What the others said - except to add that a 30 ly jump range will become too short once you get out towards the edge. I went out to the formidine rift area in a 30 ly viper IV, then headed out towards the edge and remember having to make a long (> 100ly) round-the-houses route just to get to a system 40 ly further out at one point. Going towards the centre is straightforward though, and from what I've seen there's not much out towards the edge that you won't see going towards the centre (obv not the same, but similar). Plus you can cross visiting Sag A* off your list. 
Not meaning to be offensive, but your wording is a bit ambiguous.
If you mean that you want to head toward the center of the galaxy, your jump range isn't all that important in terms of exploration, only in terms of travel. Jump range only becomes pertinent to exploration when you are either going vertical or when you are our on the rim. In both cases, stellar density gets thinner the further "out" you go, but those are extremes.
Any time you are near the middle, both in terms of the galactic ecliptic and the middle of the spiral, 30 LY just means that your travel speed is faster than someone with less range. You can get about 45 jumps an hour if you are just doing swoop and scoop movement and level 1 "honk" scans (level 2 is actual body scans, level 3 is L2 with DSS). All that the 30 LY means in this case is that you will be further along at the end of those jumps than someone with 25 LY.
If you aren't looking to "claim" things, as mentioned previously, you can use Zero to Hero to gain rank without leaving the original bubble.
Last edited: