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The subject of this article is from the Echoes update.
The information from this article is up-to-date as of 13 February, 2024
Upgrade Module
Upgrade Module
Category Consumable
Type Moderate (C)
Significant (B)
Powerful (A)
Supreme (S)
Suspicious (X)
Anomalous (?)
Upgrade
Updated Echoes

Upgrade Modules are consumable products. These are important additions to base technologies and enhance them.

Summary[ | ]

Upgrade Modules can greatly improve properties of the installed technologies in your exosuit, exocraft, multi-tool, or starship. These can be bought with nanites from technology merchants in space stations. Unwanted modules obtained from other sources (Damaged Machinery, Operations Centres, Crashed Ships, and so on) can be sold to these merchants for nanites to spend on more desirable modules. The prices vary between locations and it can be wise to buy an S-class module in a system offering a cheap supply due to its random property. Never installed technology modules are much more valuable for sale than used 'packaged' technology modules.

You will only be able to install all existing modules at the same time with fully upgraded gear, so until then it's better to choose the ones that suit your play style and feel like the most fun for your character. With the right modules, you can be any combination of fast, resilient, and powerful. Technologies do not count as a module, thus can be used in combination with them.

Technology modules can only be installed in technology slots as of the Waypoint update.

Mechanics[ | ]

Properties[ | ]

As of the Waypoint update, modules are no longer one-off purchases. After a module has been installed inventory:

  • It can now be moved around freely on the ship, exocraft, exosuit, or multi-tool;
  • You can dismantle them and gain resources;
  • Package them and move them to any general inventory slot for redeployment;
  • Reinstall them in other suitable inventories.

Plan ahead and install modules of the same type next to each other, to benefit from the synergy bonus.

You can only install three of the same module family in the technology slots.

Upgrade Stat Generation[ | ]

Upgrade modules follow a static progression during module installation, but the generation seed is used for all module families at the same time and changes during the installation of one for all of them. This means the name and stats of a specific upgrade changes whenever any other type of upgrade module is installed, whether it be Exosuit, Starship, or Multi-tool. The new module they change into correlates to their order of installation. The seed is static!

If the game is reloaded, the exact same pool will be offered to the player, no matter the order they install other modules. If an S-class module had 200 ly Hyperdrive Range bonus on the third installation no matter in what order the former modules are installed or their class, if the same S-class module is used third again, it will once again be the 200 ly bonus module even if the name changes. Only if used second or fourth will it change! This is independent of overall mods and stat bonuses currently installed in your inventory. The module pool remains static at all times!

Dismantling a module does not affect the module pool. It will not be rerolled. This guarantees the exact same item when purchased afterwards and can be used to dismantle a lesser module before installing a new one to keep the old synergy after reload.

Quality[ | ]

Each module exists in the standard class order, C < B < A < S. (Only Suspicious Modules inherit the black-market X class.)

  • C-class modules, valued at ~65 nanites, often contain upgrades with bad stats. For module types with at least four possible stats, upgrades from these modules will usually have one stat.
  • B-class modules, valued at ~150 nanites, often contain upgrades with mediocre stats. For module types with at least four possible stats, upgrades from these modules will usually have two stats.
  • A-class modules, valued at ~300 nanites, often contain upgrades with good stats. For module types with at least four possible stats, upgrades from these modules will usually have three stats.
  • S-class modules, valued at ~500 nanites, often contain upgrades with very good stats. For module types with at least four possible stats, upgrades from these modules will usually have four stats.

Technology merchants always sell C-class (or B-class, for Exosuit/Exocraft module types lacking a C-class quality) modules for each module type. They also stock a random assortment of higher-class standard upgrade modules which varies between star systems.

If the player is unlucky, their new A-class module can be worse than their old C-class module, especially for those having only one stat (Starship Shield etc.) due to the low % ranges overlapping the top-tier of lower classes.

Names[ | ]

Names are generated by adding random Prefix (adjective) and Suffix (subsystem name), and have no direct effect on module stats. You can have 2 module with the same name but very different stats depending on the order of installation.

Values[ | ]

No Man's Sky uses a decimal system that always rounds down. So while there might be a hidden 0.1 to 0.9999 in any maximum value of any module, a true 90% can never be reached. Thus all numbers below that are like 89% are all rounded down by the game but effectively are part of the maximum. This does not go for 1/3 which is shown as 33% as 33.333% is still rounded down to 33%. The player notices no difference for absolute non-linear values and numbers based on fractions.

How to Install Modules[ | ]

Press PSBUTTON.SQUARE/KEY.E/XBOXBUTTON.X (PS4/PC/Xbox) on a module and click on a General or Technology slot to install it. Installing them in general slots comes at the expense of inventory space. For example one can install three movement modules in general slots and three more movement modules in the technology slots and have their cumulative bonus.

Technology Packaging[ | ]

Installed technologies may now be disassembled into convenient, transferable packages. The uses for packaged technology include:

  • These transferrable packages can be stored in any inventory after packaging. Allowing stowage of Multi-tool upgrades for example in general ship inventory, etc.
  • Making room in the technology slots, without destroying a good upgrade module. So for example in the exosuit you can choose to only use the appropriate hazard protection for a specific planet and store the other hazard protection updates in general inventory
  • Re-deploying an existing technology upgrade into a freshly-acquired Starship or Multi-Tool, or between exocraft - where ever it will fit best or is needed most.
  • Trade packaged technology with other players.
  • Sell execess unneeded packaged module for nanites instead of units. Although, this is EXTREMELY inefficient as all 'used' packaged technology modules will be worth only 16 nanites. If a technology module is to be sold for nanites it is always better to sell an unused module that has never been installed in an inventory
  • There are other highly specific use cases for this. Such as taking the rare coveted Incinerator off of the multitool it spawned with to put it onto a better one.

Tips[ | ]

When you buy a high-grade module, create a restore point (e.g. get in and out of your starship), then install the module. If it is worse than your bonus target (see bonus stats on the module family pages), reload the game and buy a cheap C-class module. Install it and dismantle it immediately. Your module pool now is rerolled and the former useless item might be useful now. Then repeat the above procedure until you get module stats you are happy with. This way you can prevent wasting huge amounts of nanites by sacrificing low grade modules. Just remember that the module order is static, so reloading to change it won't work. The installation order has to be mixed up.

Note: This practice is commonly referred to as 'save scumming', and is considered by some to be a form of cheating which may not allow you to experience the game as intended. Much of the joy of finding a great module is trivialized by doing this, consider mod hunting legitimately and avoid the tediously long wait times of logging back in repeatedly.

Technology Blueprint & Upgrade Module[ | ]

Technology blueprints and upgrade modules are documented on each technology specific page as follows.

Technology Section
Exosuit
Starship
Living Ship
Multi-Tool
Exocraft
Freighter

Release history[ | ]

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