How to Get Rid of Broken Starships in No Man’s Sky
Getting stuck with a broken starship in No Man’s Sky can be a frustrating experience. Whether you’ve stumbled upon a crashed ship in the wild, or your trusty vessel has taken one too many laser blasts, knowing how to effectively dispose of an unwanted ship is a vital skill for any space explorer. The process isn’t as straightforward as simply selling a car, but the game offers several methods for converting those broken hulks into something useful.
The primary way to get rid of broken starships is through scrapping them at a Starship Outfitting Terminal located at a Space Station. You cannot directly “sell” a ship for currency. Instead, you dismantle it into its constituent parts, which can then be used in crafting or sold at a Galactic Trade Terminal.
Here’s a breakdown of how to handle these unwanted ships:
Scrapping Your Ship at a Space Station
The most common and efficient method for disposing of a ship involves first, getting it to a Space Station. This method is primarily used when you have successfully repaired the necessary components to fly the crashed ship: the Pulse Engine and Launch Thruster.
Repair and Fly
- Repair: If you’ve crashed your ship, or if you find a crashed ship, you’ll need to repair, at minimum, the Launch Thruster and Pulse Engine. Collect the necessary resources and fix these essential systems.
- Fly to Space Station: Once repaired, fly the ship to the nearest Space Station.
- Dismantle: At the Space Station, find the Starship Outfitting Terminal. Interact with this terminal and select the option to dismantle the ship. This will yield various materials and Nanites, a valuable currency in No Man’s Sky.
Alternative Method (Minimal Repair Required)
This method is handy if you haven’t repaired the basic systems required for flight, or if you just want a quicker way to scrap a ship.
- Claim the Crashed Ship: Claim the crashed ship but leave it at the crash site.
- Switch Ships: Fly away from the crashed ship in another ship from your collection.
- Recall Ship: Go back to your base. Recall the crashed ship to the landing pad near it.
- Switch to Crashed Ship: Get in the recalled ship to make the crashed ship your default ship.
- Disassemble Parts: Disassemble any starship parts your can. Free up as much of your suit inventory as possible.
- Teleport to Space Station: Use a teleporter to go to the nearest space station. At this point, the launch and pulse thrusters will be repaired, at no cost, and the ship will be ready to scrap.
- Scrap: Dismantle the ship at the Starship Outfitting Terminal.
Salvaging and Inventory
Keep in mind that dismantling a ship requires inventory space. An average ship can require around 8 free slots for all the parts and upgrades obtained during the scrapping process. It’s advisable to empty your inventory into a freighter, exocraft, or storage container beforehand.
Maximizing Returns from Scrapping
- Repair More: Repairing more components on your ship before scrapping can often yield a higher return in materials and Nanites.
- Upgrade Modules: When scrapping, you’ll receive Upgrade Modules. These can be sold for Nanites, making ship scrapping a viable method for farming the currency.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I sell broken starships directly for units?
No, you cannot directly sell starships for credits in No Man’s Sky. Instead, you dismantle them for parts and then can sell or use the resulting components.
2. How do I get Nanites from scrapping ships?
You get Nanites by selling the Upgrade Modules you receive when dismantling a starship. This is a fast method to generate Nanites, without relying on refining materials or cooking.
3. What happens to the scrapped materials?
The scrapped materials are added to your inventory as resources. You can use them for crafting or sell them at a Galactic Trade Terminal for units.
4. Do I need to repair broken ships before scrapping?
While you can scrap a ship with minimal repairs, repairing more of the damaged components often results in a greater quantity of materials and Nanites when dismantling.
5. How many starships can I own?
You can own up to 12 starships at once, offering plenty of space for collecting and experimenting.
6. Can I summon a damaged ship?
Yes, you can summon a damaged ship. However, it might not work if the Launch Thrusters or Pulse Drive haven’t been repaired.
7. What happens if my ship is destroyed?
You keep your ship, but some installed technology may become unusable until repaired. You will also drop your inventory, which you can retrieve from a gravestone marker.
8. Can I steal ships from NPCs?
Yes, you can, by using a bypass chip to hack the landing pad console.
9. How do I get rid of Sentinel ships?
To lose pursuing Sentinels, quickly enter your ship and fly along the horizon within the planet’s atmosphere until they stop following you.
10. Where can I save my game without a ship?
You can save your game without a ship by interacting with a Beacon located near most planetary structures.
11. What is the rarest type of ship in No Man’s Sky?
The Squid-shaped ship is considered the rarest type of ship in the game, and may take many hours to encounter.
12. Does traveling through a black hole damage my ship?
Yes, traveling through a black hole will likely damage some of your ship’s technology modules, unless they’re located in the Technology Tab.
13. How many frigates can I own in No Man’s Sky?
You can own up to 30 frigates once you have a freighter. These can then be sent out on expeditions.
14. Can I sell derelict freighters?
You can sell the Crew Manifest and Captain’s Log from derelict freighters to either the Guild Envoy or the Scrap Dealer at a Space Station.
15. Is it worth repairing broken ships?
Yes, repairing some damaged parts before scrapping is worth it, as it increases the value of the ship when you dismantle it, giving you more units and materials.