KEY POINTS

  • Derelict freighters can be randomly encountered while pulsing through space
  • Bring enough life support and ammunition before exploring a derelict freighter
  • Destroyed freighters cannot be boarded

Derelict freighters are risky yet lucrative sources of income and materials in “No Man’s Sky.” These procedurally-generated space encounters are often full of danger, but they will always reward players with millions of Units and thousands of Nanites through the scrap and secrets contained within them.

Don’t expect derelict freighter encounters to be common. Players will rarely be able to find one in space, but there are some ways to find derelict freighters that are quietly floating about in the void.

How to spawn derelict freighters

Abandoned freighters can be forcefully spawned in a system by using an Emergency Broadcast Receiver. These can be bought from scrap traders in any galactic space station for 5M Units. Take note that the price increases every time one is bought, and it caps at a max of 30 million Units. This resets daily.

An Emergency Broadcast Receiver can be obtained for free by speaking to Iteration Helios at the Space Anomaly. This can only be redeemed once per week, and it will only be available after players have purchased at least one receiver from a scrap trader and have completely explored a derelict freighter.

Scrap dealers sell derelict freighter coordinates and can scrap spare ships into useful materials
Scrap dealers sell derelict freighter coordinates and can scrap spare ships into useful materials No Man's Sky

Simply pulsing through space may spark a derelict freighter encounter, though this comes in two forms. The first is the usual encounter where players have to board and explore the dead ship, and the second is a destroyed freighter encounter where players can shoot cargo bays for free loot.

Derelict freighter exploration

Freighters can be explored alone or with friends. Land on the available pads and head straight inside. Mind the haywire security bots, space jellyfish and alien infestations though.

Before diving inside a freighter, make sure to bring a healthy stock of Oxygen to keep life support systems topped off. Bring a close-ranged weapon and plenty of ammunition as well to fend off undesirables.

While inside, try to take as much scrap and uncover as many secrets as possible. Large chunks of profit can be obtained from the items pilfered from derelict freighters, and the unique stories laid in each one make every expedition all the more interesting.

Apart from treasure, freighters also tend to have rare materials like upgrade modules, storage augmentations and salvaged frigate modules.

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