Diamondback ExplorerExploration

The Diamondback Explorer is Lakon's compact long-range scout and, for years, the default answer to 'what's the best cheap explorer?' It pairs a strong FSD with light mass and a famously cool-running power plant, producing a jump range that shames ships many times its price — and it does it from a small pad, so it can land at any outpost on the way out and back.

Its cool-running nature is a real exploration asset: it scoops fuel and runs modules with minimal heat, which matters on long hauls near stars. Four optional internals of useful size let it carry a fuel scoop, scanner, AFMU and an SRV bay for surface work. It can't match the premium explorers for module space or comfort on the very longest trips, but for the money, nothing takes you further.

Four things make the Diamondback Explorer a deep-space favourite:

• Huge jump range for the price. A light hull plus a strong FSD give it ~68 LY engineered — range that rivals far costlier ships.
• Cool-running plant. It scoops and runs modules with minimal heat, easing the long hauls near stars that define exploration.
• Small-pad access. It lands at any outpost, so resupply and turn-ins on the way out and back are never blocked by pad size.
• Cheap to own and outfit. Under 1.7M Cr hull and inexpensive modules — a complete explorer for a fraction of the premium hulls' cost.

A ~68 LY engineered range and famously cool-running plant from a small pad make it the budget exploration leader; only its modest 4·4·3·3 internals and small size hold it short of the premium hulls.

The 88/100 headline is a verdict against the exploration role's priority-ordered factors. Each factor carries a weight (its share of 100); this hull earns part of each based on how it performs against the whole field. The points sum to the rating.

Both tables rate ships for exploration specifically. The role column is the maximum engineered jump range in light-years — the headline number for deep-space travel.

Same class — small-pad explorers

Among small-pad explorers the Diamondback Explorer is the king of range-per-credit. The Scout runs cooler and the Cobras are more versatile, but none jumps as far for the money. It's the definitive budget deep-space ship.

Other classes — the premium explorers

The premium explorers carry more, jump further and travel in greater comfort — but all cost many times the DBE. The Diamondback Explorer's enduring appeal is delivering most of the deep-space experience for a tiny fraction of the price.

At ~1.64M Cr the DBE is cheap, and its small modules keep a full explorer fit well under 12M Cr all-in — a complete, engineered deep-space ship for the price of a single mid-tier weapon on a warship.

It's the value pick without qualification: the cheapest way to reach the galaxy's edge in comfort enough to enjoy the trip, and an ideal first explorer before committing to a premium hull.

A classic budget explorer fit: maximum FSD, a Guardian booster, fuel scoop, scanner, AFMU and an SRV bay. Initial is the cheapest buy-only floor; A-Rated is the expedition baseline; Engineered maximises jump range and reduces heat — almost entirely range and weight work, with one engineer doing most of it.

Buy the hull — it ships with stock Lightweight Alloy, the lightest bulkhead and exactly what an explorer wants, so leave it untouched — then fit the largest 4E Fuel Scoop and the stock 5E Frame Shift Drive; range and refuelling come first, even before A-rating.

Run the cheapest E-rated core and a single 0I Heat Sink Launcher; leave the scanner, AFMU, SRV bay and shield slots empty at this floor — they come with the A-rated pass.

Strip weapons entirely; the heat sink is the only utility this buy-only floor carries.

A-rating priority for an explorer:

• 1FSD → 5A — Jump range is everything; the 5A Frame Shift Drive comes first. ~2M Cr
• 2Fuel Scoop → 4A — A fast 4A scoop keeps the expedition moving. ~1.5M Cr
• 3Detailed Surface Scanner — A 1I DSS maps planets for huge cartographic payouts. ~250k Cr
• 4Guardian FSD Booster — A flat jump-range bonus — a few Guardian runs to unlock. material cost
• 5AFMU + SRV bay — A 3A AFMU and a 2G Planetary Vehicle Hangar give self-repair and surface access for long trips. ~1M Cr
• 62C Bi-Weave shield + 0A Shield Booster — A light shield for safe planetary landings. low cost

The exploration engineering pattern, weighted to range and heat. Felicity Farseer (maxed) carries the FSD; Professor Palin or Mel Brandon handle the thrusters. Pin blueprints for remote G1→G5 application.

Recommended order

• 1FSD Increased Range to G5 with Mass Manager — the single most important blueprint for range.
• 2Lightweight everything non-essential (life support, sensors) to shed mass and add jump distance.
• 3Low-Emissions power plant to keep heat down when scooping near stars.
• 4Clean Drive Tuning thrusters for cool, efficient travel.

Approximate progression across the three states (figures are representative, not exact rolls):

Engineered, the DBE jumps ~68 LY while running cool and costing a pittance — mass cut everywhere (G5 Lightweight on the stock alloy hull, a Stripped Down power distributor, plus lightweight life support and sensors) feeds that range, which embarrasses far pricier ships. Its module space stays modest, so the very longest trips favour a bigger explorer; for value and reach, it's unmatched.

• FSD and fuel scoop first — range and refuelling define every expedition.
• Carry an AFMU (or two) for self-repair far from any station.
• Its cool-running plant is a genuine asset — lean into long scooping hauls.
• When module space starts to limit you, a Krait Phantom or Mandalay is the natural step up — but the DBE will already have shown you the galaxy.