Galaxy Map, Scout Spaceship & Planetary Outposts Guide
Complete space exploration guide for Beyond These Stars: launch Jose's Scout Spaceship, scan Strange Satellites, build Planetary Outposts, and import Shell.
How Does Space Exploration Work in Beyond These Stars?
While your primary city lives on the hexagonal back of Kewa, Beyond These Stars opens up a second strategic layer as soon as you repair Jose’s Scout Spaceship: the Solar System & Galaxy Map.
Space exploration solves the central ecological dilemma of the game: how do you build a high-tech industrial civilization without strip-mining and polluting Kewa’s living body?
- Stage 1 — Orbital Reconnaissance: Send Jose’s Scout Spaceship to scan Asteroid Belts, Strange Satellites, and planetary biomes.
- Stage 2 — Symbiotic Navigation: Use the Strange Transmitter (see Kewa Care Guide) to guide Kewa into orbit around promising worlds.
- Stage 3 — Planetary Outposts & Trade Shuttles: Establish specialized surface outposts to harvest Shell, Fish, Milk, Eggs, Meat, Berries, and deep Blast Mine ores, then ship them back to Kewa via Cargo Landers.
Exclusive Planetary Outpost Resources & Why You Need Them
Several mid-to-late game Production Chains and high-tier Peep Culinary Recipes require materials that are either scarce or impossible to harvest on Kewa’s carapace:
| Outpost Resource | Harvested Via | Primary Colony Use on Kewa | Why Not Harvest on Kewa? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell | Trawler (Oceanic/Coastal Outpost) | Cement Factory (replaces scarce Limestone 1:1) | Kewa has no ocean; Limestone mining hurts her shell |
| Fish | Trawler (Oceanic/Coastal Outpost) | +60 Happiness / +60 Exhaustion food; Cooked Meals (+200) | Preserves Kewa’s freshwater rivers for irrigation |
| Milk & Eggs | Pasture (Grassland Outpost) | +100/+100 diet; Smoothies (+160) & Bakery recipes | Pastures require wide open plains away from cramped hexes |
| Meat | Pasture (Grassland Outpost) | +70/+70 protein; combines with Veg/Bread for Cooked Meals (+200) | High land efficiency on dedicated agricultural worlds |
| Berries | Berry Farm (Temperate Outpost) | +100/+100 raw food; Juice (+110) & Smoothie (+160) | Doubles Peep energy recovery alongside Kewa’s Fruit |
| Bulk Iron, Copper & Quartz | Blast Mine (Rocky/Volcanic Outpost) | Steel, Glass, Electronics, Battery Cells | Blast Mines severely injure Kewa if built on her back! |
Scanning Strange Satellites, Asteroid Belts & Revelations
Before committing Kewa to a long orbital transit, dispatch Jose’s Scout Spaceship across the system map.
What Can Jose’s Scout Spaceship Discover?
- Strange Satellites & Derelict Beacons: Investigating ancient orbital relics triggers Revelation Events—unlocking unique technologies (like Strange Transmitter harmonics and Kewa Feed formulas) plus instant caches of Electronics and Steel.
- Asteroid Belt Mining Nodes: Quick orbital sorties gather emergency Iron, Copper, and Ice (Water) without needing a full planetary landing pad.
- Planetary Biome Surveys: Reveals a planet’s available resource deposits, ocean coverage (for Trawlers), fertility (for Pastures), and local hazards before you land.
How to Build and Automate a Planetary Outpost
Once Kewa enters orbit around a surveyed planet, you can found a Planetary Outpost:
4-Step Planetary Outpost Setup Checklist
- Pack Your Landing Kit on Kewa: Load your Cargo Lander with 30 Wood, 25 Planks, 20 Stone, 15 Tools, 10 Copper, and 20 Fruit/Bread so the outpost can immediately build Huts, a Generator, and storage upon touchdown.
- Respect the 16-Hex Housing Rule on Outposts Too: Outpost Peeps obey the exact same 16-hex commute radius and food/water needs as Peeps on Kewa! Build a compact residential pod (2 Houses + Triangle Decoration + Water source) within 16 tiles of your Trawlers, Pastures, or Blast Mines (see Adjacency Bonus Layouts).
- Specialize Each Outpost: Dedicate wet/coastal worlds to Trawlers (Shell + Fish) and Berry Farms, and dedicate rocky worlds to Blast Mines and heavy Ore/Metal Smelters.
- Configure Recurring Trade Routes: Set your Cargo Lander to export Shell, Milk, Eggs, and Refined Metals back to Kewa while importing Tools and Cooked Meals as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I unlock the Galaxy Map and Scout Spaceship?
What resources can only be obtained from Planetary Outposts or space?
How do I steer Kewa to a new planet or solar system?
Why should I move mines and smelters to Planetary Outposts?
What are Strange Satellites and Revelations on the Galaxy Map?
Gameplay Footage & Walkthroughs
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