Starfield, the hugely ambitious new space epic RPG from Bethesda Game Studios, gives players an entire galaxy to traverse and explore. One of the most intriguing mechanics you‘ll encounter during your journey is the ability to examine satellites orbiting above various planets and installations. Probing these satellites carefully can provide crucial intelligence, rare loot, and even progression for the main storyline.
In this comprehensive 2000+ word guide, we‘ll thoroughly cover all the steps, tips, and insights you need to successfully examine satellites in Starfield without detection. You‘ll learn:
- The different capabilities and functions of satellites
- Optimized methods for approaching unnoticed
- How to activate and download data from the satellite
- Making use of the rewards and intel gained
- Helpful gear, skills, and tactics to employ
- Common mistakes to avoid
- And much more!
Let‘s begin by understanding the role satellites play in the Starfield universe.
Overview of Satellites in Starfield
Satellites serve a variety of functions for the various factions vying for power in Starfield‘s expansive setting:
Reconnaissance: Factions use satellites extensively to gather intelligence and surveillance on planets, bases, ship movements, and other areas of interest. Hacking into these recon satellites can reveal hidden details like base layouts, fleet routes, and enemy plans that provide a major tactical advantage. Some of the most heavily encrypted satellites guard closely held secrets and strategies.
Communications: Satellites play a critical role facilitating subspace communications across Starfield‘s vast star systems, allowing factions to coordinate actions and disseminate information. Accessing communication satellites provides opportunities to intercept critical messages and data transfers valuable to your mission.
Storage: Supply satellites contain and transport essential resources, commodities, gear, and other valuable materials. Probing their inventory offers tantalizing opportunities for loot and salvage. But you‘ll want to grab what you can and escape quickly before defending forces arrive.
Science: Research satellites run a range of stellar experiments and observations, holding data ranging from detailed planetary readings to theoretical physics. Studying their output expands scientific knowledge drastically. Rival factions may even pay handsomely for such rare data.
Defense: Heavily armed sentry satellites defend territories, installations, and other high value assets. Penetrating their security can disable or destroy threats but risks dangerous retaliation if handled improperly. Tread carefully.
In summary, with patience, skill, and the right approach, probing satellites can accelerator faction standings, progress the main story, acquire rare gear and materials, and unlock access to new planets and locations. But you‘ll need to avoid detection, as most satellites have defense systems and calling for reinforcements if alarmed. Let‘s examine best practices for examining satellites while minimizing risk.
How to Approach and Examine a Satellite
When you detect a satellite in space near a planet or installation via ship radar, follow these steps to successfully probe it:
1. Disable Non-Essential Ship Systems (550 words)
The key to safely approaching any satellite without provoking its defenses is reducing your ship‘s detectable signature.
Cut Power: Before getting within 1000m, cut power to all non-essential systems including weapons, shields, radars, computers, med bays, hydroponics, labs, and crew quarters. This is easily done via the Power Management screen.
Leave Maneuvering: However, leave just enough power to Engines (1-2 bars) for maneuvering capability. With no power, you‘ll drift aimlessly, risking discovery.
Retract Components: Further reduce signatures by retracting external components like solar panels, antennas, and sensors. This leaves less surface area to reflect signals.
Rotate for Minimum Profile: Orient your ship‘s most slim axis towards the satellite for minimum cross-section as you drift closer. This offers the smallest profile for radar and ladar detection.
Kill Emissions: Shut down every possible emission source – engines, radiators, generators, electronics, etc. Even minute energy sources can be noticed if the satellite has high sensitivity receivers. Go completely silent.
Conceal Visually: No light sources or reflective surfaces should be visible. Shut viewports, turn off external lights, and conceal shiny hull panels that could attract attention.
Essentially, you want to be a lifeless, inert chunk of space rock drifting along its trajectory. Patience here pays off enormously.
Of course, having certain ship modules and crew skills significantly aids stealth…
2. Use Cover When Available (300 words)
Even with an minimized signature, visual confirmation or active scanning could still detect you. Utilizing cover when approaching satellites is ideal for staying hidden.
Debris Fields: Drifting debris from destroyed ships, asteroids, and other wreckage provides excellent concealment as you approach from within them.
Asteroid Clusters: Larger concentrations of asteroids and planetoids give good cover as you weave between them to break line of sight.
Gas Clouds: Nebulae and stellar dust clouds obscure both radar and visual detection when transiting through them.
Lagrange Points: The gravitationally stable Lagrange points around larger planetary bodies can mask your presence from satellites in orbit.
Other Ships: Even hiding in the literal shadow of larger transports or structures can block satellite observation as you tag along.
Actively maneuvering between obstructions allows you to set up an optimal hidden approach vector. Pausing if the satellite‘s line of sight falls on you avoids discovery. With care, you can get quite close before active scanning would reveal you.
Now let‘s examine that final critical stage of penetrating a satellite‘s defenses up close…
3. Maintain Distance and Speed (200 words)
As you close to within 500-1000m, reduce relative velocity to under 100 m/s and disable any remaining maneuvering capability. Allow inertia to carry you in at a slow, steady drift.
Abstain from using engines or thrusters to avoid emissions. Let nature bring you in. Overcoming patience here can ruin an otherwise perfect approach.
If the satellite begins actively scanning or tracking your position, temporarily halt drift and use cover to obstruct line of sight. Wait for it to return to passive mode before proceeding.
4. Activate Satellite Beacon (250 words)
Once within 500m, the moment of truth arrives. Target the satellite‘s beacon receptor and activate it by pressing "E" then "R" on PC or "A" then "X" on Xbox.
This initializes the examination sequence, causing the satellite to begin transmitting data. But there is still risk of detection if you triggered any alarms in the process.
Watch for any changes in the satellite‘s behavior like energy spikes, component movements, or scanning activity. If noticed, evasive maneuvers are critical.
Otherwise, remain dead silent and still to avoid provoking a response. Patience pays off again here.
With the link initiated, the satellite will begin transferring all accessible data to your ship computer. This leads to the next step…
5. Download Data (150 words)
After successful activation, a progress bar will appear showing the data download in progress.
Remain within range until the transfer reaches 100% for the full payload. Depending on the satellite‘s density, this may take 30 seconds to several minutes.
No need for evasive actions now – just let the download complete in full to get maximum intelligence from the probe.
Once finished, you‘ll have the prized intel. But escaping safely is still critical…
6. Get Away Clean (150 words)
With the satellite data secured, it‘s time to quickly put some distance between you and the satellite in case it finally detects your infiltration.
Re-enable ship power systems and engines. Put any nearby obstructions or cover between you and satellite to obscure its line of sight as you build velocity.
Maintain erratic evasive maneuvers until well beyond its scanning range. Only then can you safely examine the intelligence retrieved from the satellite.
With proper caution and patience, even the most hardened satellite defenses can eventually be penetrated to uncover their hidden treasures.
Making Use of Satellite Intelligence (250 words)
Successfully probing a satellite without provoking defenses yields significant rewards:
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Story progression: Main story missions often involve extracting key intel from faction satellites to uncover next steps. This progression is crucial.
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Increased faction reputation: Hacking certain satellites lowers standing with the owning faction but boosts it with rivals, opening additional story branches.
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New planetary sites revealed: Satellite data often uncovers new points of interest, settlements, wrecks, and other sites on planets for you to investigate. It fills in your star map.
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Loot acquired: Some satellites eject containers of supplies, gear, and resources after examination. These can contain rare weapons, modules, and items well worth salvaging.
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Scientific knowledge expanded: Research satellite data provides valuable scientific readings that can be sold to factions for large payments or advanced technologies.
In summary, there are major incentives for studying every satellite you encounter discretely. Just be sure to check your quest log, inventory, star maps, faction status, and science archives after each successful probe to capitalize on the payout. The benefits are immense for progression.
Helpful Tips and Notes (500 words)
While we‘ve covered the key steps for examining satellites, these additional tips can help ensure success and avoid common mistakes:
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Level Science skills: Having a high Science skill and related perks like Codebreaker improves hacking effectiveness and data extraction amount. Invest perks here if focusing on this activity.
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Use stealth modules: Ship modules like Jockey Mask K-1 reduce emissions and make silent running more effective if disabled by default. Less need to cut all systems.
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Study patrol routes: Monitor guarding faction ships to learn their patrol routes and windows to avoid them.
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Have an escape plan: If detected, pre-plan your escape vector using cover to avoid pursuit. Never get caught in the open.
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Aim for satellite blind spots: Every satellite has areas of weaker coverage to exploit. Locate these through observation.
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Always quicksave beforehand: Quicksave your game before starting the approach so you can reload and retry easily if detected.
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Have an emergency EMP ready: An EMP device can disable satellite defenses if your cover is blown to facilitate escape.
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Focus on high value targets: Don‘t waste time probing low security civilian satellites. Prioritize ones related to key missions.
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Spacewalks are an option: For highest stealth, conduct examinations via EVA suits not detectable by sensors.
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Beware false data: Some satellites may upload malware, incorrect data, or traps. Scrutinize carefully.
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Sell data to highest bidder: Different factions will pay greatly for satellite data that damages their rivals. Shop around.
And beware these common mistakes:
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Using shields or weapons: Activating these systems makes you highly visible. Never approach armed or shielded.
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Approaching too quickly: Anything over 100 m/s risks detection. Be patient and drift in.
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Poor cover usage: Block line of sight fully when pausing to avoid visual detection.
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Sloppy evasion: Escape perpendicular to any pursuing ships or missiles to break targeting.
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Assuming safety after download: Remain vigilant with evasion until well clear of all satellite defenses.
With these tips in mind, you can transform from hapless flyby visitor to master satellite infiltrator over time. Soon, faction satellites across the Settled Systems will yield their secrets to you easily.
Why Examine Satellites? Major Benefits and Incentives
Before we conclude, it‘s worth emphasizing why studying satellites meticulously is so rewarding:
Main Story Progression
Probing key satellites is required to advance the main plot by revealing next steps, locations, and intel on the overarching mysteries. Space exploration relies heavily on satellite technology.
Faction Reputation Gains
Harming rival factions‘ satellites pleases their enemies. This unlocks special rewards, story branches, resources, and items exclusive to those factions.
Acquiring Loot
Some satellites eject containers of rare supplies, gear, and materials. These can offer substantial monetary value or powerful equipable items.
Scientific Knowledge
Research satellites contain valuable sensor readings purchasable from science-oriented factions. Investing these expands your tech capabilities.
Revealing New Sites
Planetside satellite data plots new points of interest like settlements, wrecks, enemy bases. This fleshes out your navigation star charts.
Preparing for Ground Assaults
Recon satellite maps of planetary bases allow you to strategize attack vectors that exploit weaknesses. This provides major tactical leverage.
The sheer value derived from quietly probing satellites makes mastering the techniques a definitive priority for success in the Settled Systems.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
While we‘ve covered tips for success, also beware these common pitfalls:
Passive Scanning Detection
Drifting into a satellite‘s passive scanning radius without concealment risks detection even if silent running. Anchor to cover.
Visual Identification
Allowing the satellite an unobstructed view exposes your silhouette. Keep debris or planets between you.
Collision Alarms
Coming too close triggers collision alarms. Maintain over 500m distance when possible.
Loud Emissions
Leaving even minor systems active like life support risks detection. Go completely silent.
Rushed Approach
Approaching at high velocities gives less reaction time if spotted. Patience pays off.
Botched Activation
Fumbling the beacon activation may trigger defenses. Use precision and care.
Lingering After Download
Staying too long within range allows the satellite time to detect your hack. Exit immediately upon completion.
Avoid these mistakes and you‘ll consistently probe satellites with minimal fuss. Soon it will be habit.
Conclusion
This concludes our comprehensive 2000+ word guide to examining the satellite mechanic smoothly in Starfield. Here are some final takeaways:
- Completely power down ship systems for silent running when approaching
- Use debris fields, gas clouds, and other cover to stay obscured
- Drift in at minimal velocities on passive trajectories
- Activate the satellite beacon carefully within 500m range
- Maintain position as the data downloads fully
- Escape immediately after the transfer finishes
Mastering satellite infiltration offers lucrative rewards: accelerating the main quest, gaining faction reputation, acquiring rare loot, selling scientific data, and uncovering new planets to explore. Just be patient, precise, and stealthy using the techniques outlined here and the vast Starfield galaxy will unveil its hidden treasures.
The heavens beckon – it‘s time to answer their call and uncover their deepest mysteries! Safe travels, space cowboy.
