Commander Vympel seeks help/tips.

[Vympel]

Incoming transmission

Greetings CMDRs,

I need your advices comrades. As an member of the Imperial Navy, I have participated in many conflict within the Empire space (mostly civil wars). But now, I think it's time for me to take a break of combat for a while. I'm going to be away from the known systems because I am actually planning a huge expedition into the depths of the Galaxy. My first goal is to reach the Orion Nebula, but why? Well, I have read a lot about the theory of the ancients astronauts; the Mayans, Aztecs, Old Japanese, Egyptians, Mesopotamians civilizations and some tribes of the Pacific were always refering to the famous Orion Belt. Due to their astronomical knowledge, could that mean that our ancestors, or even creators are from there? This question really embarrasses me in real life. So for these personnal purposes, I will be heading there, in the Orion Nebula, and there, I'll search for the three stars of the Orion belt, which are from left to right: Alnilak (50 Orionis), Alnilam (46 Orionis) and Mintaka (34 Orionis).

But I need some advices from you Commanders, from the Federation, Alliance or Empire. I'm going to store my Vulture in Achenar (Dawes Hub) and buy an ASP Explorer. How would you equip this ship for exploration? I haven't been exploring since I have started playing; and when I will come back in human space, all my data that I am going to sell, if I sell them to the Empire for example, will this change something into the game? Does that have a certain influence?

That's all I have to ask you Commanders, and now take care of all of you, and fly safe.

Of course, I might think joining the Federation.

End of transmission

[Feldspar]

My exploration Asp loadout is something like this:

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60g,,2-6u6u7_6u5K8S8I,0PempT7Q4mpU2UI2jw

Basically you strip everything you can out, downsize thrusters and power plant for weight saving, fit scanners and go. The only compromise for the twilight zone of interdiction is the small shield, that has saved my asp several times. Other people fit auto-repairers and heat sinks, but I'm usually careful and have never needed either yet.

Selling your data gains you rep with the faction it is sold to, but I don't think it has any other effect.

[SoliDeoGloria]

I've been playing for under two weeks - my first exploration was in my 'Winder and I got enough credits in a few days to upgrade to this (didn't have enough for the Advanced scanner - that is next):

[Adder]

BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: 3D Power Plant
TM: 3D Thrusters
FH: 3A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 1D Life Support
PC: 2D Power Distributor
SS: 3D Sensors
FS: 3C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 8)

3: 3B Fuel Scoop
3: 1C Detailed Surface Scanner
1: 1E Basic Discovery Scanner
---
Shield: 78.00 MJ
Power : 5.27 MW retracted (59%)
5.27 MW deployed (59%)
9.00 MW available
Cargo : 0 T
Fuel : 8 T
Mass : 50.8 T empty
58.8 T full
Range : 26.23 LY unladen
26.23 LY laden
Price : 1,084,375 CR
Re-Buy: 54,219 CR @ 95% insurance

[iMaelstrom]

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60g,01Q0W ... ympU2UI2jw

Feldspar's build is a little wrong. He didn't include a fuel scoop, which is absolutely required for long exploration missions (Feldspar, did you mean to put in a fuel scoop instead of the auto-field maintenance unit? Your post makes it seem like that would be the case). I would fit the biggest fuel scoop you can afford. The reason is that you can just loop around a star while building speed (if you aren't scanning it) and then shoot off in a direction to explore the system. You hardly need to stand still if you do this at any star you can.

I also don't downgrade the thrusters, power plant, and power distributor. Really they won't be needed if you are in supercruise all the time, but in the off chance you are interdicted (less of a chance of that now in 1.2 I hear), you want to survive more easily. Dying is much more of a risk when exploring. This is also the same reason I fit on chaff and heat sinks. If you are interdicted by a star and are burning up, you can keep your heat down and keep their guns off of you so you can escape.

Yes you do get more jump range out of the downgrades, but you also do use more fuel for those longer jumps.

[Vympel]

Thanks for the tips Commanders !

[Feldspar]

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60g,01Q0Wg,2-8S8S7_6u6u8S8I,52W7TC0KympU2UI2jw

Feldspar's build is a little wrong. He didn't include a fuel scoop, which is absolutely required for long exploration missions (Feldspar, did you mean to put in a fuel scoop instead of the auto-field maintenance unit? Your post makes it seem like that would be the case). I would fit the biggest fuel scoop you can afford. The reason is that you can just loop around a star while building speed (if you aren't scanning it) and then shoot off in a direction to explore the system. You hardly need to stand still if you do this at any star you can.

I also don't downgrade the thrusters, power plant, and power distributor. Really they won't be needed if you are in supercruise all the time, but in the off chance you are interdicted (less of a chance of that now in 1.2 I hear), you want to survive more easily. Dying is much more of a risk when exploring. This is also the same reason I fit on chaff and heat sinks. If you are interdicted by a star and are burning up, you can keep your heat down and keep their guns off of you so you can escape.

Yes you do get more jump range out of the downgrades, but you also do use more fuel for those longer jumps.

Oops, working funny hours this week so not paying attention, yes it was supposed to be a fuel scoop. I find I have refuelled before I managed to finish scanning the star.

I found that before 1.2 my downgraded thrusters, power plant and distributor were enough to boost me away from any interdiction I submitted to while the shields held. After 1.2 I've barely seen a ship, let alone be interdicted, I might be tempted to remove the shields.

I don't believe you actually use more fuel for those longer jumps, the max range of a FSD is limited by the amount of fuel it can burn to get your mass there. An A5 FSD will use 5 tonnes of fuel on a max range jump, but lighter craft will get further on that jump.

[iMaelstrom]

Oops, working funny hours this week so not paying attention, yes it was supposed to be a fuel scoop. I find I have refuelled before I managed to finish scanning the star.

I found that before 1.2 my downgraded thrusters, power plant and distributor were enough to boost me away from any interdiction I submitted to while the shields held. After 1.2 I've barely seen a ship, let alone be interdicted, I might be tempted to remove the shields.

I don't believe you actually use more fuel for those longer jumps, the max range of a FSD is limited by the amount of fuel it can burn to get your mass there. An A5 FSD will use 5 tonnes of fuel on a max range jump, but lighter craft will get further on that jump.

Yeah, the 1.2 change basically eliminating the lone ship in supercruise was nice. Still, coming back into known space still risks that chance of dying (man, that would suck dying at the end of a trip). Spending the money on extra defense is worthwhile to me just to decrease the chances of dying.

After researching fuel usage more, I discovered you are right about the lighter craft jumping further if using the same amount of fuel. Fuel usage in hyperspace is based on ship mass as well. I retract my pevious statement.

[Emanon]

Yeah and don't even bother with weapons on the Explorer ship, u should always submit and boost/run from interdictions. And make sure u buy the advanced scanner and the detailed surface scanner.