Starbound How To Upgrade Ship And Unlock Better Features

Upgrading your starship in Starbound is one of the most rewarding milestones in your interstellar journey. A larger ship grants expanded living space, room for essential crafting stations, and additional storage for rare resources. Understanding how to systematically expand your vessel allows you to explore the galaxy far more efficiently.

Recruiting Crew Members for Ship Licenses

The primary legitimate method to upgrade your ship in Starbound involves expanding your crew size. You can recruit crew members by completing quests for NPCs found in villages and colonies across different planets. For every two crew members you recruit, Penguin Pete at the Outpost offers you a new ship license tier.

Alternatively, players who prefer not to manage crew members can purchase illegal ship licenses directly from Penguin Pete at the Outpost. While buying fake licenses requires a substantial amount of pixels, it provides a direct alternative route for solo adventurers. Both methods effectively unlock the ability to initiate ship structural expansions.

Gathering Upgrade Modules for Construction

Once you secure a ship license, you must gather Upgrade Modules to finalize the expansion process. These valuable items are frequently discovered inside chests located in surface structures or subterranean caves. You can also occasionally receive Upgrade Modules as rewards for completing quests given by villagers.

After accumulating the necessary number of Upgrade Modules, return to Penguin Pete at the Outpost. Handing over the required modules completes the quest and instantly expands your ship's interior dimensions. Each successive upgrade tier demands a larger quantity of modules to complete.

Unlocking Better Ship Features and Utility

Expanding your vessel allows you to construct dedicated rooms for crafting, storage, and specialized stations. You can place advanced crafting tables, food preparation equipment, and automated storage units directly onto your ship's deck. Having these amenities on board creates a mobile operational hub that travels with you across systems.

A larger ship also provides ample room to house your growing crew comfortably. Crew members offer various passive benefits, such as assisting you in planetary combat or boosting fuel efficiency. Strategic interior decorating turns your starship into an effective home base for endgame exploration.

Alternative Methods and Customization Options

For players using game modifications like Frackin' Universe, the Build Your Own Ship system offers complete freedom over ship design. This option allows you to construct custom hulls block by block rather than relying on fixed racial templates. However, vanilla players can still customize back walls, lighting, and doors inside standard ships.

Understanding these progression mechanics ensures that your journey through Starbound remains smooth and engaging. By balancing questing, crew recruitment, and resource gathering, you can transform a cramped starter vessel into a formidable flagship.