What to do When You Come Across a Derelict Freighter in No Man’s Sky?

Encountering a derelict freighter in the vast expanse of No Man’s Sky is an exciting and often lucrative experience. These abandoned hulks, adrift in the void, are not just random space debris; they’re treasure troves of valuable resources and upgrades, but also dangerous places teeming with unknown threats. So, what should you do when you stumble upon one?

The first step is preparation. Before even thinking about entering, ensure you’re well-equipped:

1. Clear Your Inventory: Derelict freighters are full of loot, but also tend to have their own clutter, so freeing up inventory space is essential. You will find yourself accumulating various resources and items in the freighter, and this will also allow you to maximize your Tainted Metal gains.
2. Pack Ammo and/or Crafting Materials: You’ll likely face hostile entities inside, requiring you to use your weapons. Having sufficient ammunition or the means to create more is crucial for survival.
3. Gather Life Support Materials: Pack Dioxite or Oxygen for recharging your life support system, as well as Sodium for environmental protection. The environment inside these freighters is typically hostile.
4. Acquire an Emergency Broadcast Receiver: This is how you will gain the location of the derelict freighter. You can buy them from the Scrap Dealer in any space station.

Now that you’re prepared, let’s walk through the steps of exploring a derelict freighter:

1. Locate the Derelict Freighter: Use the Emergency Broadcast Receiver acquired to locate a nearby derelict freighter. Pulse drive in the direction indicated until you approach the wreck.
2. Approach Cautiously: Derelict freighters are not always empty. Hostile creatures and security systems may await you. Approach the freighter slowly and be ready to defend yourself.
3. Use the Airlock: To enter the freighter, locate the airlock which typically glows. Interact with the computer panel to enter the freighter. You’ll also get a small amount of Sodium and Oxygen here to help you on your first trek. You’ll also get 3 Repair Kits which can be handy.
4. Navigate Carefully: The interior of a derelict freighter is a labyrinth of corridors, rooms, and hazards. Be mindful of your surroundings, and be ready to encounter creatures or security traps.
5. Conserve Your Resources: Inside, you’ll need to conserve both life support and environmental protection as well as ammo. Look for light blue cannisters floating within the freighter. These can be interacted with to gather Oxygen and Sodium.
6. Locate the Main Terminal: You will need to access the Main Terminal to extract the salvage, and the location of this will vary. Following the main quest lines will assist you, and these are generally located behind the final locked door.
7. Be Prepared for a Fight: As soon as you interact with the Main Terminal, you will be attacked by a wave of hostile creatures. Eliminate them to continue.
8. Collect Your Salvage: After the wave, interact with the terminal again to extract the salvage, and then return to your ship. This salvage can be anything from Tainted Metal, Salvaged Frigate Modules, or other upgrades as well as lore related to the freighter you are exploring.
9. Sell or Donate Your Loot: Sell the Tainted Metal at the Scrap Dealer or give it to the Guild Envoy on the space station for a standing boost.

Hazards and Challenges

Derelict freighters are not without their dangers. Be aware of the following:

• Hostile Creatures: The interiors of derelict freighters are often infested with aggressive alien creatures that can deal significant damage if not dealt with promptly.
• Environmental Hazards: Be prepared for potential toxic environments, extreme temperatures, or other hazards that can deplete your hazard protection.
• Locked Doors: Derelict freighters have a variety of doors, some of which are sealed or locked. You will need to interact with nearby consoles to unlock certain ones. Only open them when you’re ready to proceed as there is often a hostile entity behind them.
• Power Issues: You will need to use heaters in the freighter to warm up the area. They will initially be offline, but you will need to interact with the consoles to power them back up.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Are derelict freighters worth exploring?

Absolutely! Derelict freighters are highly profitable, offering valuable resources like Tainted Metal and Salvaged Frigate Modules. They’re an excellent way to obtain freighter upgrades and earn decent currency as well as provide some good lore if that’s your thing. They also provide a good challenge in a game that can sometimes feel like it doesn’t provide enough.

2. How do you obtain the location of a derelict freighter?

You must purchase an Emergency Broadcast Receiver from the Scrap Dealer at any space station. Use the device in your quick menu and follow its coordinates.

3. Can you take over a freighter you find in the wild?

No, you cannot take over a derelict freighter. You can only salvage them for resources. The only way to take ownership of a freighter is to rescue it from an attacking faction, and then accept the captain’s offer to take command.

4. What is the “Haunted Kaiutsii” in No Man’s Sky?

The Haunted Kaiutsii is a unique Living Ship-type starship that always spawns in S-class. It is not related to derelict freighters.

5. Can you sell freighters in No Man’s Sky?

No, you cannot directly sell freighters. Instead, they can be traded in for salvage.

6. What rewards can you find on derelict freighters?

You can find a variety of rewards, including Tainted Metal, Salvaged Frigate Modules, various upgrades, and lore.

7. What is the biggest freighter you can get in NMS?

The Oculus-class freighter is the largest available in No Man’s Sky.

8. What is the rarest freighter in NMS?

S-Class freighters are the rarest and highest rated. To obtain one you will need a lot of patience and an Economy Scanner.

9. Can you put a portal in your freighter?

Yes, you can build a Teleport Chamber in your freighter, allowing bidirectional travel to and from it. It consumes 20Kp of power.

10. How many freighters can you own in No Man’s Sky?

You can own only one freighter at a time. However, you can have a fleet of up to 30 frigates.

11. How do you get an S-Class ship in No Man’s Sky?

You can find S-Class ships by visiting Trading Posts in wealthy systems. If you don’t see any S-Class ships, reload the game at the trading post.

12. How much does an S-Class freighter cost in NMS?

The price of an S-Class freighter varies, with regular freighters ranging from 5M to 23M, while capital freighters can cost 26.15M to 178M.

13. Should I take a free freighter or the payment on my first save?

For the first freighter save, it is recommended you choose “request payment instead” as your first freighter will be free if you do not own one. You will obtain your first free freighter on your second save, however. The first two saves will always be regular freighters with at most 19 inventory slots.

14. Where can you sell the salvage from derelict freighters?

Crew Manifests can be sold to the Scrap Dealer for Tainted Metal or donated to the Guild Envoy for increased standing.

15. How many starships can you own in No Man’s Sky?

You can own a total of 12 starships at a time, although only 6 can be stored in your freighter hangar at once.