Nanites Guide
Upgrade currency, module farming, and fast conversion routes
No Man's Sky Nanites Guide
Nanites are what turn a decent setup into a powerful one. Use them for upgrades, technology unlocks, crafting recipes, and class upgrades. This guide covers beginner Nanite sources, repeatable farms, ship scrapping, Derelict Freighters, Sentinel farming, and the fastest method once you have Units: Outlaw system Suspicious packet routes.
Featured Video
The BEST Way to Earn Nanites
Quick Nanite Tips
The main takeaways before the full guide.
Nanites are mainly used for upgrades, technologies, recipes, and class upgrades.
If you already have Units, the fastest Nanite route is usually Outlaw system Suspicious Tech and Arms packets.
Beginner players should start with discovery uploads, Helios, Ares, damaged machinery, Larval Cores, and Radiant Shards.
Runaway Mould is one of the best repeatable Nanite farms if you find a good Curious Deposit cluster.
Tainted Metal from Derelict Freighters refines into Nanites and is useful for mid-game farming.
Crashed ship scrapping gives Units from parts and Nanites from selling unwanted upgrade modules.
Do not install modules you plan to sell. Installed or rolled modules are usually worth fewer Nanites.
This guide avoids duplication glitches because they can be patched and can ruin normal progression.
Currency basics
What Nanites Are Used For
Nanites are not normal money. They are your upgrade and progression currency, so wasting them early can slow your save down.
Nanites
Upgrade currency
Used for upgrade modules, technology unlocks, recipes, and class upgrades. This is the main currency covered on this page.
Units
Money currency
Your money currency. Units matter here because the best fast Nanite method converts Units into modules, then modules into Nanites.
Quicksilver
Cosmetic currency
Mostly used for cosmetics and special rewards. It is separate from normal Nanite farming.
The best fast Nanite method depends on having Units first. If you are still struggling to afford ships, resources, or packets, start with the Money guide and come back once your Unit income is stable.
Best by stage
Best Nanite Methods by Progression
A brand-new player and a rich mid-game player should not farm Nanites the same way.
Discoveries and Anomaly NPCs
Scan fauna, upload discoveries, visit Helios, and talk to Ares for low-risk starter Nanites.
Larval Cores
Find abandoned buildings, collect Larval Cores from Whispering Eggs, and refine them into Nanites.
Radiant Shards
Dissonant planets have Radiant Shards that can be refined into Nanites.
Runaway Mould
Curious Deposits can be farmed repeatedly and refined into Nanites.
Ship Scrapping
Scrap ships for parts and sell unwanted upgrade modules for Nanites.
Outlaw Packets
Buy Suspicious Tech and Arms packets in Outlaw systems, open them, and sell the modules.
Best Fast Method: Outlaw Packet Route
The cleanest fast method once you already have Units.
The core loop is simple: buy Suspicious Tech and Suspicious Arms packets in Outlaw systems, open them, and sell the X-Class modules you do not want. This converts Units into Nanites quickly and scales extremely well when you build a route of Pirate stations.
Step 1
Make Units first
The Outlaw packet route is strongest after your money income is online. Use the Money guide first if you are still broke.
Step 2
Find Pirate systems
Use an Economy Scanner or Conflict Scanner to find Outlaw / Pirate-controlled systems.
Step 3
Build a station route
Visit 15–20 Pirate stations so they appear in your teleporter list and can restock while you loop.
Step 4
Buy the right packets
Prioritize Suspicious Tech and Suspicious Arms packets. Suspicious Goods can be useful, but they are not the core Nanite loop.
Step 5
Open and sell modules
Open the packets, keep any module you actually want, and sell the rest to the upgrade vendor for Nanites.
Step 6
Repeat the loop
Teleport from station to station, buy packets, open them in batches, and sell the X-Class modules.
Buy These First
- Suspicious Tech packets
- Suspicious Arms packets
- Optional: Suspicious Goods if you also want sellable items
Do Not Waste Time
Do not spend too much time chasing the perfect sell price for every module. The route works because it is fast, repeatable, and simple. Buy packets, open them, sell the modules, and keep moving.
Beginner Nanites
Easy Nanite Sources for New Players
These are not the fastest methods in the game, but they are safe and useful while you are still learning.
Discovery Uploads
Beginner
Scanning is not the fastest Nanite method, but it is safe, easy, and pairs naturally with exploration.
- Scan fauna, flora, and minerals while exploring.
- Open the Discoveries menu.
- Upload individual discoveries for small Nanite rewards.
- Scan every animal on a planet to claim the full fauna completion bonus.
Helios and Ares
Beginner
Once you reach the Space Anomaly, Helios and Ares provide easy Nanite rewards tied to discoveries and milestones.
- Visit the Space Anomaly.
- Talk to Helios for discovery-based Nanites.
- Talk to Ares for milestone-based Nanites.
- Check them while you are already visiting the Anomaly for upgrades.
Damaged Machinery
Beginner
Damaged machinery is not a full farm by itself, but it is worth checking because it can give Nanites or upgrade modules.
- Look for smoking damaged machinery on planets.
- Clear the slime or repair requirement.
- Take the Nanites, upgrade module, or useful resource.
- Check nearby Buried Technology Modules while you are there.
Active farms
Larval Cores, Radiant Shards, and Runaway Mould
These methods are more direct than discovery rewards and work well before or alongside the Outlaw packet route.
Larval Cores from Whispering Eggs
Early · Dangerous if careless
Abandoned buildings are surrounded by Whispering Eggs. Breaking the eggs drops Larval Cores, which refine into Nanites, but Biological Horrors will attack.
- 1Buy Distress Signal Planetary Charts from a Cartographer.
- 2Use charts until you find an abandoned building.
- 3Mine a few Whispering Eggs at a time.
- 4Pick up Larval Cores quickly before they despawn.
- 5Duck into the building if your shields get low.
- 6Refine Larval Cores into Nanites.
Radiant Shards
Early / mid · Dissonant planet risk
Radiant Shards are found on Dissonant planets and can be refined into Nanites. This is a good active method once you can safely move around corrupted Sentinel worlds.
- 1Find a Dissonant system.
- 2Land on a planet with Dissonance Detected.
- 3Use the visor to locate Radiant Shards.
- 4Mine them with the required mining upgrade.
- 5Refine the shards into Nanites.
Runaway Mould / Curious Deposits
Repeatable · Low risk once found
Curious Deposits produce Runaway Mould, which refines into Nanites. The hard part is finding a good cluster; once you do, mark it with a base.
- 1Search planets for Curious Deposits.
- 2Build a small base at a good cluster.
- 3Place walls or terrain around rolling deposits if needed.
- 4Mine the deposits for Runaway Mould.
- 5Reload the area or return later when they respawn.
- 6Refine the Runaway Mould into Nanites.
Ship methods
Ship Scrapping for Nanites
Ship scrapping overlaps with the Money guide because it can provide Units and Nanites at the same time.
Crashed Ship Scrapping
Crashed ships are a hybrid method: you earn Units from scrapped parts and Nanites from selling upgrade modules.
- 1Get Navigation Data.
- 2Buy Distress Signal Planetary Charts.
- 3Find abandoned crashed ships with no living pilot.
- 4Claim the ship.
- 5Scrap it at a space station.
- 6Sell unwanted upgrade modules to technology vendors for Nanites.
This method is also useful for blueprints, Salvaged Data, and occasional ships worth keeping.
Buying and Scrapping Ships
If you already have Units, you can buy B-Class, A-Class, or S-Class ships and scrap them for modules.
- 1Go to a 3-star economy or strong ship system.
- 2Wait at the space station or Trading Post.
- 3Buy ships with good classes.
- 4Scrap them at the starship terminal.
- 5Sell the modules for Nanites.
- 6Sell recovered parts to recover some Units.
This is useful, but usually not as efficient as the Outlaw packet route once your Unit income is stable.
Advanced alternatives
Other Strong Nanite Methods
These methods are worth knowing, especially if you want variety instead of only repeating station routes.
Sentinel Farming / Salvaged Glass
Fighting Sentinels can reward Salvaged Glass. Open it for Sentinel upgrade modules and sell the modules you do not need.
- Best with good shields and a decent weapon.
- Not ideal for brand-new players.
- Good if you already enjoy combat.
- Also pairs with Sentinel Boundary Map and pillar strategies.
Derelict Freighters / Tainted Metal
Derelict Freighters can reward Tainted Metal, upgrade modules, freighter upgrades, and other loot. Tainted Metal can be refined into Nanites.
- Get an Emergency Signal Scanner.
- Helios can provide a free scanner weekly after you have encountered Derelict Freighters.
- Scrap dealers can also sell scanners.
- Easy freighter layouts are worth remembering or marking.
Selling Unwanted Modules
Any method that gives upgrade modules can become a Nanite method if you sell the modules instead of installing them.
- Crashed ships can give modules.
- Suspicious packets give X-Class modules.
- Salvaged Glass can give Sentinel modules.
- Do not install modules unless you plan to keep them.
Settings and Farming Efficiency
Small setup choices make packet routes and module selling much faster.
Use Always Instant carefully
Changing UI interaction speed to Always Instant makes buying, opening, selling, and crafting faster, but it also makes it easier to sell something by accident.
Clear inventory first
Packet routes and ship scrapping create lots of modules and items. Empty your inventory before farming.
Do not roll modules before selling
If your goal is Nanites, open the package but do not install the module unless you actually want to test it.
Keep useful X-Class upgrades
Some X-Class modules can be better than normal S-Class upgrades. Keep the ones you actually want.
Common Nanite Mistakes
Avoid these and your upgrade progression will feel much smoother.
Trying the fastest method while broke
Outlaw packets are great, but they require Units. Use the Money guide first if you cannot comfortably buy packets.
Selling Larval Cores for Units
Larval Cores are usually more useful as Nanites than as small Unit payouts.
Forgetting refiners
Refiner contents can be lost if you leave or switch saves carelessly. Collect refined Nanites before moving on.
Skipping beginner sources
Helios, Ares, discoveries, and damaged machinery are not huge farms, but they are free early progress.
Installing everything
Installed modules are not ideal resale items. Only install modules you actually plan to use.
Building around glitches
Duplication methods can be patched and can ruin progression. This guide focuses on normal gameplay.
Keep going
Next No Man’s Sky Guides
Nanites connect directly into money, refining, ships, and Expeditions.
Money Guide
Build your Unit income first, then convert Units into Nanites through Outlaw packet routes.
Resources & Refining
Learn the refining loops behind Runaway Mould, Tainted Metal, Radiant Shards, and useful resources.
Ships Guide
Understand ship scrapping, ship classes, modules, upgrades, and what is worth keeping.
Expeditions Guide
Use Expeditions for extra rewards, currencies, modules, ships, and account-wide unlocks.