If you’ve spent hours grinding for parts to build that perfect floating base or giant hydroponic farm in No Man’s Sky, you’ve probably hit a wall where you need rare blueprints you can’t buy from space station vendors. That’s where salvaged data comes in, and if you’re asking how do you get salvaged data in No Man’s Sky, you’re in the right place. I’ve logged over 400 hours in the game across multiple saves, and I’ve tested every method of farming this resource to cut down grind time and skip the frustrating mistakes most new players make. I once spent 3 hours wandering an extreme radiation planet looking for salvaged data before I realized I could just buy charts from the cartographer for pocket change, so I’m writing this to save you that same headache. Whether you’re a brand new traveler just setting up your first base, or a veteran looking to unlock every decorative piece for your endgame settlement, these methods work for every play style and skill level.
How Do You Get Salvaged Data in No Man’s Sky: The Most Reliable Basic Method
The core way to get salvaged data no matter your progress level is to hunt for Buried Technology Modules on planetary surfaces. You don’t need any endgame gear to do this, just a working Analysis Visor for your multi-tool and a charged Terrain Manipulator. When you activate your visor, these modules show up as small grey chip-shaped icons, usually within a few hundred meters of your current position. You don’t need any advanced gear to farm basic salvaged data, even players who just left their starting planet can pull this off.
Each Buried Technology Module you dig up will give you between 1 and 4 pieces of salvaged data, plus a small chance of extra nanites or rare upgrade materials. For new players, I recommend sticking to planets with low sentinel activity and mild weather first, so you don’t get interrupted by hostile drones or sudden storms mid-dig. A 20-minute run on a calm, low-sentinel planet can easily net you 30 to 50 pieces of salvaged data, which is enough to unlock most basic base building blueprints right away.
You’ll know you’re close to a module when your visor starts beeping faster as you walk toward the icon. Don’t dig straight down the second you reach the marker, though, modules are often slightly offset from the on-screen icon, so move a few steps in each direction if you don’t see it after a few seconds of digging.
Fastest Salvaged Data Farming Methods for Endgame Players
Once you have a few upgrades under your belt and some nanites to spare, you can speed up your salvaged data farming significantly with more targeted methods. These methods cut down on the time you spend wandering aimlessly looking for modules, so you can get back to building or exploring faster. Ancient artifact planetary charts, available for purchase from any space station cartographer for 15 nanites each, are the biggest game-changer here. Each chart will mark a Buried Technology Module directly on your HUD, so you don’t have to scan for them at all.
If you’ve unlocked settlement management features, you can also get regular salvaged data rewards for resolving disputes, completing construction requests, or raising your settlement’s happiness level. This is a totally passive way to earn extra salvaged data while you’re off doing other missions, and it adds up fast if you check in on your settlement every few hours.
For players who prefer more action-focused gameplay, there are three top-tier farming methods ranked by speed and efficiency:
- Use ancient artifact charts to pinpoint buried tech modules: This cuts your search time by 70% compared to random scanning, and each chart only costs 15 nanites, which you can easily earn from selling surplus resources.
- Farm uncharted dead planets: These have no hostile fauna, minimal sentinel activity, and 2x more Buried Technology Modules than average inhabited planets, so you can farm non-stop without interruptions.
- Run derelict freighter missions: Each completed derelict run gives 10 to 25 salvaged data as a bonus reward, plus you get rare upgrade modules for your ship and multi-tool that you can’t find anywhere else.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Farming Salvaged Data
Even seasoned players make silly mistakes that slow down their salvaged data grind, but most of these are super easy to avoid if you know what to look for. The first mistake I see all the time is wasting Terrain Manipulator charge digging too deep for modules. Buried Technology Modules are never more than 20 units below the surface, so if you dig down 30 units and still don’t see it, you’re probably off target, move a few steps left or right and scan again to reorient yourself.
Another common mistake is ignoring sentinel activity levels before you start farming. If you land on a planet with aggressive sentinels, digging up buried modules will trigger a wanted level almost immediately, and you’ll have to stop farming to run or fight off drones. It’s way more efficient to just spend 30 seconds checking a planet’s sentinel level before you land, so you don’t waste time getting interrupted mid-run.
The biggest mistake by far, though, is selling salvaged data for nanites. I made this mistake my first week playing, when I sold 50 salvaged data for 2500 nanites, only to realize I needed 60 of them to unlock the large storage containers I needed for my farm. It took me another full day of farming to earn them back, so trust me when I say it’s not worth it. Salvaged data gives you access to blueprints that let you earn 10x more nanites long term, so always save it for unlocks first.
Creative Uses for Salvaged Data You Might Not Know About
Most players only use salvaged data to unlock basic base building blueprints, but it has tons of other useful uses that can make your gameplay way more fun and efficient. For example, you can use salvaged data to unlock exocraft upgrade blueprints that let your rover, mech, or submarine go faster, carry more resources, and even scan for rare materials automatically. These upgrades make exploring far larger planets way easier, and they’re well worth the 10 to 20 salvaged data each they cost to unlock.
You can also use salvaged data to unlock exclusive settlement building pieces, from extra trade shops to custom housing units, that raise your settlement’s happiness level and increase the value of the rewards you get from residents. Some of the rarest decorative building pieces in the game, like floating neon lights and custom terrain sculpting tools, are only available via salvaged data unlocks, so you can make your base or settlement stand out when friends visit in multiplayer.
If you’re playing with a group, salvaged data is also a great trade resource. If one of your friends has extra salvaged data they don’t need, you can trade resources or upgrade modules for it, so you don’t have to grind separately for the same blueprints. This is especially helpful for new players joining a veteran group, as you can get a huge head start on base building without spending hours farming on your own.
At the end of the day, figuring out how do you get salvaged data in No Man’s Sky doesn’t have to be a tedious grind if you pick the method that fits your play style. If you’re a new player, stick to scanning low-risk planets for buried modules until you have enough gear to take on faster methods. If you’re a veteran, mixing derelict freighter runs with chart farming will give you more than enough salvaged data to unlock every blueprint in the game in just a few hours. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different planets to find one that has a high spawn rate of modules and minimal interruptions, and you’ll be building the base of your dreams before you know it.
