Logbook entry

(5,256 hours) - Planning and Phase 1 - Inner Orion Spur & Norma Expanse

19 May 2020Evolution
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| Overview |
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The log is structured into the following sections:
  • Overview
  • Planning - covering the various objectives for journey ahead.
  • Phase - explaining the exact route with specific notable entries and images.
  • Progress stats - giving the phase totals.
  • The Plan ahead - outlining what the next phase will cover.
  • Ship details - the spec of Viatorem with links to the ship in INARA and Coriolis.

  • -------------
    | Planning |
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    For context into why these logs were started: Interesting images are always taken as I travel on journeys, then saved into categories and rotated on a screen. In the past, I would record journeys in photo albums and share them in my INARA CMDR Biography here. For this journey though, the highlights will be shared directly in the logs with details related to each image.

    Unlocking the Traveller Tier 4 requires 479,238LY distance travelled which will take a very long time. Due to this and to start chipping away, I decided on the 3rd option from the last log - to fly around the galaxy:
  • Firstly, I'll take a long route following the Scutum-Centaurus Arm and head up into the Abyss to visit Beagle Point - Phase 1, Phase 2 & Phase 3.
  • Head over to OEVASY SG-Y D0 - the furthest system away from Sol - Phase 4 and A close call.
  • Take a long route to Sagittarius A via Mare Desperationis - Phase 5, Phase 6, Phase 7, Phase 8, Phase 9 & Phase 10.
  • Spend some time at Explorer's Anchorage and get allied with all the minor factions - the most distant populated sytem in the galaxy - Phase 11.
  • Then travel Colonia to get allied with all possible factions whilst selling the exploration data - Phase 12 & Phase 13.
  • From there, a very long course of 46k LY will be set to travel back to the bubble - Phase 14.
  • The remaining data will be sold from above to get allied with the factions covering the thousand nearest stations in a 40LY range of Shinrarta Dezhra - Phase 15.
  • The required items for the Colonia engineers will be gathered and then a return trip will be made to Colonia - Phase 16.
  • Time will be spent in Colonia, unlocking the engineers and scanning many more systems in the area. Then finally, back to the bubble and the mission will be complete o7 - Phase 17


  • Whilst doing the above, one key objective of the expedition is to unlock The Explorer Tier 3 INARA Award, meaning another 49,773 scans will be needed.
  • Based on the 2nd from last scan/system stats (12.8), that would require 3,889 system visits.
  • Based on the last scan/system stats (19.8), that would require 2,514 system visits.

  • Most of the scans for the first average were taken from normal space, whereas a lot of the second scan average was from flying in Nebulae. Logically thinking, that would make sense as a Nebula contains more matter and proto-planets, so systems would have more planets and moons in them.

    Considering the next leg of the journey will be nearly all outside of nebulae, I felt safer to use the lower estimate. One factor which should yield higher results will be that some this journey is closer to the core. Applying the same logic as I mentioned in the point above, there should be a higher average than 12.8 scans / system.

    Whilst still in the Inner Orion Spur region at the Eagle Nebula, I filled my cargo bay with 64 limpets to decrease my jump distance / meaning more jumps.

    To start phase 1, I plotted a 397 jump route following the Scutum Centaurus galactic arm to EOCS AOWSY RF-Y C1-12 in the Norma Expanse region, covering 19,993LY. Without any detours, this left an estimated 3,492 remaining systems to visit after that was complete.


    For the stages of the journey, these are being broken down into a phase per log.

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    | Phase 1 |
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    This phase has taken 29 hours effort since the last update.

    I left Eagle Sector IR-W d1-105 and traveled 86 jumps to reach the Norma Expanse region. Three very different but Terraformable worlds orbiting each other were discovered, which is quite rare:


    The following day and at 124 jumps in, an Earth-Like World just over 90Ls from it's star was discovered. It's in the system SLENGIE QI-O B34-8 which is 10,271 away from Sol:


    153 jumps in, I discovered a ringed Ammonia world which is rare as well:


    At 226 jumps, another Earth like planet was discovered. It's in the system BLU AEC LT-I.d9-78, near 2 Terraformable planets:


    I picked up a datastream which installed ED Discovery for my ship and I would definitely recommend it to anyone reading this! With the new tool on the 19/05, I could see I had 5,002 scans and 102 planets mapped in 353 jumps since I last docked. That meant I was 10% of the way through my objective for 50k scans already! Also, with that figure, I could see my average was 14.17 scans per system - so I was correct in thinking it should be above the 12.8 low scan estimate I'd mentioned above (in the planning phase). After aligning my ship's systems into the new feature, I continued on the journey.


    After more jumps and when I arrived at the planned destination EOCS AOWSY RF-Y C1-12, I looked for a next destination and saw an interesting Nebula ahead. It was 20,600LY away so I decided to travel 700LY (13 jumps) in that direction to EOCS AOWSY QX-K D8-41.

    I enabled the FSD booster again and didn't map any planets (except for 1 in the last system). That was to ensure I got to the new starting point in time to conclude the Phase 1 travels for the night.
    I put Viatorem into orbit near a Lava world and retired to my cabin.


    The progress values for Phase 1 were:
  • Jumps: 410
  • Distance: 21,027.05Ly
  • Scans: 6,125
  • Planets Mapped: 121
  • Value: 234,501,957
  • Average scans per system: 14.94


  • ---------------------
    | The plan ahead |
    ---------------------


    Phase 2 will take me out of the Norma Expanse region, through Trojans Belt and into The Veils region.

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    | Ship details |
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    Exploration ships are usually as light as possible which sacrifices some usage when they reach their destination.
    Although Viatorem is an exploration ship, it can also be used for other aspects as well. Some features of Viatorem include:

  • 70.5LY max / 68LY unladen / 63 laden jump range.
  • Operating heat level of 17% when exploring.
  • Its build is suited to kinetic resistance, giving 3,524 kinetic hitpoints - for extra protection when visiting high gravity worlds.
  • 6 fighters - for added protection and to explore scenery.
  • 4 SRVs - as it's always good to carry a spare (or three!).
  • 1 large efficient beam laser with heat vent - to keep temperatures down when using...
  • 3 large lightweight multi-cannons with incendiary rounds.
  • 2 medium lightweight multi-cannons with incendiary rounds.
  • 1 small lightweight multi-cannon with incendiary rounds.
  • 1 small mining laser - to collect materials if ever they're needed.
  • Kill Warrant Scanner.
  • Frame Shift Wake Scanner.
  • Refinery.
  • Repair Limpet controller.
  • Collector Limpet controller.

  • The ship description and full information can be found on INARA here and Coriolis here

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    Thank you for having a read through. Feel free to give me a shout if you have any comments or questions.
    Stay safe and fly safe.
    o7, Evo
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