The procedurally generated universe of No Man's Sky is one of the largest in gaming. With more planets than a player could visit in a lifetime and countless alien plants and animals to discover, few games can compete in terms of size or complexity. Whether playing as a space pirate, an asteroid miner, or an alien translator, vast distances must be traveled.

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Portals are rare and black holes are risky, so there's only one reliable way to navigate space: ships. No Man's Sky offers players a large variety of procedurally generated ships, from bulky cargo haulers to sleek fighters. The Outlaws update introduced players to a new type of vessel: Solar Ships. Here's everything that players need to know about these gorgeous and powerful ships.

Solar Ship Overview

No Man's Sky - Solar Ship

The first thing that will catch any player's eye when looking at a Solar Ship is the Vesper Sail, a piece of S-Rank technology unique to this class of ship. These mesmerizing energy sails unfold from the ship once it is in flight, and though they look stunning, they have an important practical value too. Vesper Sails increase Pulse Drive Fuel Efficiency by a staggering 80%. This makes Solar Ships the best vessels in the game when it comes to hopping between planets, moons, asteroid fields, and the player's freighter within the same solar system.

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Vesper Sails also provide buffs to the ship's Boost and Maneuverability, making Solar Ships an easy and comfortable ride. Last, the Sails enable automatic recharging of the ship's Launch Thrusters, allowing the player to fuel up their vessel simply by leaving it docked for a brief period of time. In sum, these advantages make Solar Ships ideal for No Man's Sky players who plan on spending the bulk of their time moving around a single star system, whether building bases on multiple worlds or preying upon the trading vessels and asteroid miners that pass through the area.

Solar Ship Whereabouts And Uses

No Man's Sky - Solar Ship and Planet

It's no coincidence that Solar Ships make exceptional pirate vessels, as they are most easily found in pirate-controlled sectors. Players on the hunt for Solar Ships in general (and particularly Solar Ships of higher rarities) need only spend some time at Outlaw Stations as Solar Ships are a frequent sighting there. Like other ship classes in No Man's Sky, Solar Ship stats are determined procedurally, so players who don't mind save scumming can improve their odds of finding better Solar Ships by repeatedly reloading saves in areas where they are found.

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Fighters remain the game's go-to class in terms of raw attack power, but a properly outfitted Solar Ship can still stand toe-to-toe with any ship in the game, including some Fighters. In combat, maneuverability is one of the Solar Ship's greatest assets, as its shields won't stand up to a concentrated assault from some of the game's strongest weapons, even if the player is part of a full squadron.

Solar Ships excel at smuggling and piracy, two mission types that are conveniently available from the same Outlaw Stations where Solar Ships can be found. Even players with no interest in illegal activity will be drawn to these ships, however, as they are quite simply the most interesting and appealing ships in the game in terms of aesthetics. Players who want to get their hands on a Solar Ship but don't already know the whereabouts of an Outlaw system can find one using an Economy Scanner, as this upgrade will flag pirate-controlled systems in the Galaxy Map.

No Man's Sky is available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.

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