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Starfield

All Outpost Research Projects and Costs

By
Jessica Dillon

If you want to unlock the full list of items that you can build at your outpost, then you will need to complete all projects in the eight sections of the outpost research. This is a long task as you have to unlock certain skills and collect materials for each part. The guide below goes over how to do outpost research projects, what they cost, what skills you need, and what items you will unlock from completing them.

You can easily build a Research Lab at your outpost for quick access to research projects.

How to Access Research Projects in Starfield

Research Projects can be accessed by using a "Research Lab" iconResearch Lab. These can be built at your outpost, or you can save some resources and use the one in the basement at "The Lodge" iconThe Lodge in "New Atlantis" iconNew Atlantis. There are five different types of main research projects you can work on, Pharmacology, Food and Drink, Outpost Development, Equipment, and Weaponry. Each section has its only self-contained mini-sections, many of which would have multiple parts that you will need to complete to unlock all the items in said section.

Starfield Outpost Development Research Projects

There are a total of eight sections in the Outpost Development section of the Research Lab. These branch off into a total of twenty mini-sections. You can’t just pour through research projects, each one requires you to gather the listed materials, and many of the level two projects ask you to have skill points put into skills like "Outpost Engineering" iconOutpost Engineering which can be found in the science tree. to complete them. Unlocking all these skills will take several days of playing the game, half from grinding and the other half from gathering the resources that each project needs.

Keep in mind that you can donate materials as you go. You can use any Research Lab you find to do this, so you aren’t limited to carrying all the items back to your outpost each time you gather them.

Outpost Manufacturing Research Projects

Outpost Manufacturing unlocks Fabricators. Fabricators allow you to automate crafting processes by auto-producing items such as Adaptive Frames. Along with this, you will be able to expand the storage types you can choose, as well as, unlock the ability to set up Inter-System Cargo Links that will allow you to easily move items between your separate outposts.

Outpost Research Required Skill Resources Needer Unlocks
Manufacturing One None x3 Adaptive Frame, x3 Iron, x3 Sealant, x2 Zero Wire Small Warehouse Module, Simple Fabricator, Inter-System Cargo Links
Manufacturing Two Outpost Engineering Rank One x4 Adaptive Frame, x12 Iron, x4 Lubricant, x2 Reactive Gauge, x8 Sealant, x8 Tungsten, x4 Zero Wire Compound Fabricator, Medium Storage
Manufacturing Three Outpost Engineering Rank Two x12 Adaptive Frames, x16 Iron, x4 Lubricant, x2 Reactive Gauge, x8 Sealant, x8 Tungsten, x4 Zero Wire Large Storage, Multiplex Fabricator

With each fabricator you unlock, there are more items you can make. In addition, by researching these projects you can greatly improve the amount of storage you have at your outpost. Check out our guide on the simple fabricator for more information.

Outpost Resource Extraction Research Projects

By researching extraction you can unlock two more levels of extractors. With each level, the amount of inorganic resources you can extract per two minutes will increase by one. The commercial level will get you two resources per two minutes while the industrial extractor will harvest three resources per two minutes.

Outpost Research Required Skill Resources Needer Unlocks
Resource Extraction One Outpost Engineering Rank One x10 Adaptive Frame, x30 Aluminum, x10 Chlorosilanes, x20 Copper, x5 Drilling Rig, x8 Mag Pressure Tank Commercial Extractors
Resource Extraction Two Outpost Engineering Rank Two Industrial Extractors

For more information on how to set up an extractor, check out our extractor guide here. Please keep in mind there are extractors for all three types of matter, gases, liquids, and solids.

Outpost Domestication Research Projects

Domestication is a really useful project to invest in as it unlocks the ability to have aliens kept at your outpost. Not only can you have your very own petting zoo, but you can also use this as a way to harvest organic resources related to the aliens that you are currently housing. You will need to fully scan aliens to get this system up and running. Please be aware that you will need to rank up "Zoology" iconZoology, which can be found in the science tree, as well as Outpost Engineering.

Outpost Research Required Skill Resources Needer Unlocks
Domestication One Zoology Rank One, Outpost Engineering Rank One x10 Adhesive, x10 Adaptive Frame, x30 Aluminum, x5 Molecular Sieve, x10 Sealant Commercial Animal Husbandry Facility
Domestication Two Zoology Rank One, Outpost Engineering Rank Two x8 Adaptive Frame, x12 Adhesive, x16 Aluminum, x4 !Hypercatalyst, x12 Sealant, x3 !Substrate Molecule Sieve Industrial Animal Husbandry Facility

If you need a full guide on animal husbandry then have a read and come back when you are ready.

Outpost Horticulture Research Projects

Horticulture research is similar to Domestication research, the main difference is that you will be dealing with plants instead of animals. Like with an animal husbandry setting, a greenhouse will allow you to harvest organic resources that are found in the plants that you have fully scanned. You will also need to have the "Botany" iconBotany skill unlocked from the science tree, as well as, Outpost Engineering.

Outpost Research Required Skill Resources Needer Unlocks
Horticulture One Botany Rank One, Outpost Engineering One x10 Adaptive Frame, x8 Mag Pressure Tank, x10 Metabolic Agent, x10 Nutrient, x10 Tungsten Commercial Greenhouse
Horticulture Two Botany Rank One, Outpost Engineering Two x8 Adaptive Frame, x4 Amino Acids, x4 Mag Pressure Tank, x12 Metabolic Agent, x12 Nutrient, x8 Tungsten Industrial Greenhouse

For an in-depth guide on setting up your greenhouse, head to our Greenhouse guide.

(1 of 5) Certain research projects like domestication require two different skills.

Outpost Decoration Research Projects

Decorations are one of the easiest-to-understand projects on this list. This category simply expands the items that you can spruce up your base with. This will still require you to have the Outpost Engineering by project two.

Outpost Research Required Skill Resources Needer Unlocks
Decoration One None x3 Fiber, x2 Ornamental Material, x3 Structural Material More Decorations
Decoration Two Outpost Engineering One x4 Adhesive, x4 Aluminum, x4 Fiber, x4 Pigment x4, x4 Structural Material More Decoration
Decoration Three Outpost Engineering Rank Two x12 Adhesive, x12 Aluminum, x8 Fiber, x2 !Luxury Textile, x8 Nickel, x12 Structural Material More Decorations

Outpost Power Research Projects

The power projects allow you to add both a new way to produce power and upgrade versions of the wind and solar-type power generators. These advanced units can produce more power at once, helping you power more machines while taking up less room. You will need the "Special Projects" iconSpecial Projects skill from the science tree.

Outpost Research Required Skill Resources Needer Unlocks
Power Generation One Outpost Engineering One x10 Adaptive Frame, x10 Cobalt, x20 Copper, x8 Isocentered Magnet, x30 Silver, Zero Wire x10 Advanced Wind Turbines
Power Generation Two Outpost Engineering Two x12 Beryllium, x8 Caesium, x1 !Power Circuit, x1 Supercooled Magnet, x2 Tau Grade Rheostat, x12 Titanium, x8 Zero Wire Solar Dome
Power Generation Three Outpost Engineering Three x3 Control Rod, x4 Isotopic Coolant, x12 Lead, x4 Nuclear Fuel Rod, x4 Paramagnon Conductor, x2 !Power Circuit, x2 Supercooled Magnet, x4 Tau Grade Rheostat, x12 Tungsten Reactors
Power Generation Four Outpost Engineering Three, Special Projects Rank One x4 Control Rod, x8 Isotopic Coolant, x20 Lead, x4 !Power Circuit, x2 Rothicite Magnet, x3 Tasine Superconductor, x12 Tau Grade Rheostat, x16 Tungsten, x4 Vytinium Fuel Rod Advanced Reactors

Outpost Defense Research Projects

Outpost defenses help keep you safe by removing any invaders from your base. Outpost defense research helps to unlock more power defenses like levels two and three of the powerful turret. With each level, the damage the turret deals will be increased. This also gives you the option of making security bots that can move around the base and defend it.

Outpost Research Required Skill Resources Needer Unlocks
Outpost Defense One Outpost Engineering One x30 Aluminum, x5 Copper, x5 Fluorine, x3 Positron Battery, x10 Titanium, x8 Zero Wire Security Mini Bot, Turret Mk II
Outpost Defense Two Outpost Engineering Two x16 Aluminum, x4 Copper, x4 Neon, x3 Positron Battery, x1 !Power Circuit, x12 Titanium, x1 !Veryl-Treated Manifold Turret Mk III, Security Robots

Outpost Robotics Research Project

"Robotics" iconRobotics will be locked away completely until you start learning to build them by doing research. The first tier is easier but comes with the less powerful robots that are more suited to smaller tasks within your outpost. The second level of research unlocks the larger robots that will help with tasks like allocating power properly and watching after the logistics of your outpost.

Outpost Research Required Skill Resources Needer Unlocks
Robots One None x3 Aluminum, x3 Beryllium, x2 Zero Wire Garden Mini Bot, Engineering Robot, Sanitation Mini Bot
Robots Two Outpost Engineering Rank One x3 Austenitic Manifold, x12 Chlorosilanesm x12 Cobalt, x4 Polymer,x3 Positron Battery, x12 Titanium, x12 Zero Wire Logistics Robot, Power Management Robot

For complete information on each of the robot models and what they do, don’t forget to have a look at our robot guide.

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Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Bethesda Softworks
  • Platforms,
    PC, XB X|S
  • Genre
    Action Adventure, Action RPG, Shooter
  • Guide Release
    30 August 2023
  • Last Updated
    18 October 2023
    Version History
  • Guide Author

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Starfield is an action role-playing game from Bethesda Game Studios set in a futuristic interpretation of space exploration and colonization. Earth has long been abandoned, but there are plenty of other planets in different star systems where humans have ventured and settled. You have the freedom to create your own character with a unique background, but the main story will take you through a series of adventures as you uncover more information about mysterious artifacts which create gravitational anomalies. Along the way, you can build and customize your own space ship, establish your own outpost, befriend and romance new companions, and more. As a Bethesda game, you can also expect to see a lot of creative mods which have the potential to change your experience of the base game, or take it in an entirely new direction.

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