2026's latest No Man's Sky Worlds Part 3 update dropped last month, adding 40+ new craftable blueprints, quality of life improvements, and a whole new region of uncharted star systems to explore. If you've logged back in recently, you've probably noticed almost every high-value base, starship, and multi-tool upgrade requires salvage data to unlock. I've put 820+ hours into the game across three different playthroughs, and I've tested every possible method to figure out how to get salvage data in No Man's Sky as efficiently as possible, no cheats or mods required.
How to Get Salvage Data in No Man's Sky: Basic Exploration Tricks
The most straightforward way to get salvage data is to hunt for buried technology modules on almost any inhabited or uninhabited planet. You don't need any special gear to find them, just your exosuit's analysis visor. When you scan a planet's surface with the visor, look for the small white gear icon marked "buried technology" -- that's your target.
Once you find the icon, head to the location and pull out your terrain manipulator to dig up the capsule. Each capsule gives you 1 to 3 pieces of salvage data, and sometimes bonus nanites or upgrade modules too. Stick to frozen, toxic, or radioactive planets for this grind if you can -- far fewer players explore these harsh worlds, so you won't run into already dug-up capsules nearly as often. I once farmed 47 salvage data in 22 minutes on a -72 degree ice planet, no interruptions at all.
You won't get much salvage data if you only dig up one or two modules per planet, though. So make sure you scan a 300m radius around every module you find -- most buried tech spawns in clusters of 3 to 5, and it's easy to miss the rest if you leave right after digging up the first one.
Fast Salvage Data Farming Methods for 2026
If you need 50+ salvage data fast to unlock the new 2026 blueprints, basic exploration won't cut it. I've narrowed down the three most reliable farming methods that work with the latest update, no glitches involved:
I usually alternate between derelict freighter runs and buried tech map runs when I need to farm a lot of salvage data quickly. Never buy salvage data from the anomaly vendor for nanites -- it costs 15 nanites per piece, which is 10 times more expensive than farming it yourself with the methods above.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Farming Salvage Data
I've wasted dozens of hours making stupid mistakes while farming salvage data, so you don't have to. The first big one is using your starship's mining laser to dig up buried tech modules. If you hit the capsule with the starship laser, it'll explode and you'll get no salvage data at all. Always get out of your ship and use the terrain manipulator to dig it up by hand.
Another mistake is farming on high-sentinel activity planets without disabling the local sentinel hub first. If you dig up more than 3 buried tech modules in a 10 minute window on these planets, the sentinels will go to maximum alert and send walker drones after you. That adds 10+ minutes of unnecessary fighting to your run, and you might even die and lose some of your loot. If you see a planet marked "sentinel aggression: high", skip it unless you're prepared to clear the hub first.
Don't waste your salvage data on low-value blueprints either. A lot of new players blow all their salvage data on basic base parts like wooden walls or simple doors, and then don't have enough left when they want to unlock high-value upgrades like large refiners or exosuit expansion slots. Always keep a reserve of at least 20 salvage data on you at all times -- you never know when you'll run into a rare blueprint vendor at the anomaly that sells limited-time upgrades.
Smart Ways to Use Your Salvage Data in 2026's Update
The 2026 Worlds Part 3 update added a ton of new blueprints that are worth spending your salvage data on, so it's important to prioritize based on your playstyle. If you're a solo player who focuses on base building, the first blueprint you should unlock is the new interstellar base teleporter. This new teleporter lets you fast travel between any of your bases across 5 different star systems, no anomaly visit required, and it only costs 35 salvage data to unlock.
If you play mostly multiplayer with friends, prioritize the shared storage container blueprint first. It lets you place a storage unit that any of your party members can access from anywhere on the same planet, which is a game-changer for group base building runs. It only costs 18 salvage data, so it's a great low-investment upgrade for co-op play.
If you're short on units, you can sell salvage data at black market terminals on outlaw stations for 14,500 units per piece, but I don't recommend it. The blueprints you can unlock with salvage data will let you craft items that sell for 10 times more than the raw salvage data itself, so it's always a better long-term investment to save it for upgrades.
Whether you're a brand new player just starting your first No Man's Sky journey, or a returning veteran catching up on 2026's new content, knowing how to get salvage data in No Man's Sky will cut down your grind time by hours and let you unlock all the best upgrades way faster. Try out the farming methods I listed above, and feel free to drop your own favorite salvage data farming tricks in the comments below.
