If you’ve ever spawned into a new No Man’s Sky save to find your crashed ship’s pulse engine completely busted, you know exactly how frustrating it is to hit a wall before you even leave your first planet. One of the core components you need to get back in the air is that tricky, often hard-to-find part. If you’re stuck figuring out how to get hermetic seal in No Man’s Sky, this guide breaks down every reliable method for every stage of the game, no fancy upgrades or expensive gear required. I’ve put over 300 hours into the game across 6 different saves, so I’ve run into every possible roadblock to getting this part, and I’m sharing all the shortcuts I’ve picked up over the years.
How to Get Hermetic Seal in No Man’s Sky: Early Game Crafting Method
The first time most players need a hermetic seal is within the first 30 minutes of a new save, when the game tasks you with repairing your crashed ship’s pulse engine. The standard crafting recipe is straightforward once you know where to find the materials, and you won’t need to wander more than 500 units from your crash site to gather everything you need. The base recipe calls for 30 condensed carbon and 1 unit of sealant, both of which are easy to find in your starting planet’s surrounding area.
Condensed carbon is simple to make: you can either harvest it directly from glowing red crystal plants scattered across most starting planets, or put 60 regular carbon into a portable refiner to cook it down into 30 condensed carbon. Regular carbon is everywhere, so you can grab it from trees, small plants, and even some rock formations if you’re in a barren biome. Sealant is even easier to find early on: the damaged cargo pods scattered within walking distance of your crash site almost always drop at least one unit of sealant when you break them open. You don't need to travel far from your initial crash site to gather all materials for your first hermetic seal, so don’t wander off looking for rare resources before you fix your ship.
If you accidentally use your first sealant for another craft by mistake, don’t panic. Most starting planets have a small minor settlement within 1000 units of the crash site, and the trade terminal there will almost always sell sealant for less than 5,000 units. You can easily make that much by selling extra iron or carbon you’ve gathered while exploring the area around your ship.
Alternative Methods to Source Hermetic Seals Mid and Late Game
Once you’re past the early game and hopping between star systems, crafting hermetic seals one at a time gets tedious fast. There are far more efficient ways to stock up on dozens of these parts at once, so you never get stranded on a random planet with a broken pulse engine again. I prefer to keep a stack of 10 in my ship inventory at all times, and I use these methods to refill my stock every few hours of playtime.
Here are the most reliable alternative sources for hermetic seals:
- Galactic Trade Terminals: Found at space stations, minor settlements, and player bases, these usually stock 1-3 hermetic seals for 12,000-15,000 units each
- Frigate Exploration Expeditions: Send your exploration-focused frigates on 2-4 hour missions, and they often return with multiple hermetic seals as bonus loot
- Salvaged Crashed Ships: Any crashed ship you find will have damaged parts you can dismantle, and pulse engine parts almost always drop at least one hermetic seal when scrapped
- NPC Gift Rewards: Help stranded NPCs fix their ships on planets, and they often give hermetic seals as a thank you gift for your help
Buying hermetic seals is the fastest option if you have extra units to spare and don't want to spend time gathering crafting materials. I usually pick up 2-3 every time I stop at a space station, so I never run low. Exploration frigate missions are completely passive, so you can stack up dozens of hermetic seals without lifting a finger over time. I once got 12 from a single 6-hour exploration mission, so that’s my go-to method for stocking up for long exploration runs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hunting for Hermetic Seals
After helping dozens of new players get past the early game crash site wall, I’ve seen the same mistakes pop up over and over again. Most of these mistakes cost you 30 minutes to an hour of extra playtime, so avoiding them will make your first few hours in the game way smoother.
The most common mistake is using your first found sealant to craft other items before you make your first hermetic seal. It’s easy to see a crafting recipe for a better multi-tool upgrade that calls for sealant and get tempted, but you’ll regret it when you realize you can’t leave the planet to find more. Another big mistake is wandering too far from your crash site before you fix your pulse engine. It’s easy to get distracted by cool looking creatures or rare mineral deposits, but if you wander too far, you might run out of life support or get caught in a storm before you can get back to your ship. Always keep at least 2 spare hermetic seals in your inventory for emergency ship repairs when you're exploring uncharted systems. Pirate attacks can damage your pulse engine mid-flight, and nothing is worse than being stranded in a system with no trade terminals and no way to craft a new seal.
If you do end up stranded without a hermetic seal, don’t reset your save. You can usually find crashed ships or minor settlements on any planet you land on, so take your multi-tool and explore the surrounding area for a few minutes. You’ll almost always find a seal or the materials to craft one within 10 minutes of searching.
Creative Uses for Extra Hermetic Seals You Don’t Need for Repairs
Hermetic seals aren’t just for fixing broken pulse engines. Once you have a solid stockpile, you can use them for a ton of other useful crafts and trades that make your playthrough way easier. I used to sell all my extra seals for units until I realized how valuable they are for other parts of the game.
Hermetic seals are a key component for crafting the long-range pulse engine upgrade, which cuts down interplanetary travel time by 40%. That upgrade is a game-changer if you spend a lot of time exploring large star systems with 6 or more planets. You can also use hermetic seals to craft advanced life support upgrades for your exosuit, which let you stay in toxic or frozen biomes for twice as long without needing to recharge your life support.
If you play multiplayer, hermetic seals are a great low-value barter item for trading with other new players. I often give away extra seals to new players I run into at space stations, since I know how frustrating it is to be stuck on your first planet. If you have way more than you need, you can also dismantle them for condensed carbon and sealant, which are both useful for a ton of other crafting recipes. Just don’t dismantle them unless you have at least 5 spares, because you never know when you’ll need one for an emergency repair.
Whether you’re a brand new player stuck on your first planet or a veteran explorer prepping for a trip to the center of the galaxy, knowing how to get hermetic seal in No Man’s Sky saves you a ton of unnecessary frustration. You don’t have to stick to one method either: mix and match crafting, buying, and passive farming to build up a stockpile that fits your playstyle. I still keep a stack of 20 seals in my freighter inventory after hundreds of hours of play, just in case I run into a string of pirate attacks that damage my entire frigate fleet. With these tips, you’ll never be stranded without a seal again.
