Having multiple ships in No Man’s Sky can be extremely useful for different situations, but managing them can be a hassle as you constantly have to switch between ships. The easiest way to keep all your ships together is to store them on your freighter. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to transfer all your ships to your freighter.
Prerequisites
Before you can start transferring ships to your freighter, you’ll need the following:
- A freighter – You’ll need to own a freighter to be able to store ships on it. These can be purchased from freighter captains or acquired after rescuing a freighter from pirates.
- Multiple ships – You’ll need at least two ships to transfer to your freighter – your current starship and one extra ship.
- Resources to fuel your launch thrusters – You’ll need launch fuel or uranium to be able to take off and land when transferring ships.
How to Transfer Your Ships
Once you have a freighter and some extra ships, transferring them is easy. Here are the steps:
- Fly to and dock at your freighter with your current starship.
- Exit your starship so you are now inside your freighter.
- Use the quick menu to summon one of your other ships to the freighter dock.
- Enter and take off in that other ship.
- Fly out and land back inside the freighter hanger.
- Exit that ship so you are back inside the freighter.
- Repeat steps 3-6 for each additional ship you want to transfer.
Once a ship has been docked inside the freighter, it will now be stored there whenever you are not using it. You can summon any of your stored ships back to you anytime by using the quick menu.
Maximizing Freighter Ship Storage
By default, freighters come with a certain amount of storage for regular starships. This storage can be expanded by installing freighter bulkheads which will increase the maximum number of ships you can keep.
Here are some tips for increasing freighter ship storage:
- Purchase additional freighter bulkhead upgrades from the Starship Outfitting terminal on space stations
- Find freighter bulkhead upgrades from derelict freighters, freighter salvage modules, and frigate mission rewards
- Only install freighter bulkheads in the general tab of the freighter inventory. Do not install in the technology tab.
- The maximum storage size is 9 regular ships and 6 other sizes like fighters and haulers.
Transferring Other Ship Types
In addition to regular starships, you can also transfer other ship types to your freighter including:
- Fighters – Small combat focused ships
- Haulers – Ships with lots of inventory space
- Shuttles – General purpose ships good for transportation
- Exotics – Rare squid-like shaped ships
- Living Ships – Organic ships obtained via the Starbirth mission
These other ship types have their own specialized storage slots on freighters separate from the regular ship storage. Make sure to install freighter storage bulkheads in these other ship inventories as well to maximize your ability to collect ships.
Storing Non-Standard Ships
In addition to standard ships, you can store some special ship types in a freighter as well:
- Solar Ships – New ship type added in the Outlaws update. Uses solar sails to fly.
- Golden Vectors – Exclusive pre-order bonus ship model.
- Expedition reward ships – Special ships awarded for completing Expeditions.
These ships will take up slots from your standard ship storage. Unfortunately, you cannot store giant mech suits or living frigates on a freighter.
Arranging Ships Visually
Having lots of different ships docked together in your freighter can look cluttered. Here are some tips for visually organizing your stored ships:
- Group similar ship types together like haulers, fighters, etc.
- Make symmetrical patterns for a clean look.
- Put your main ship in the central spot.
- Color coordinate ships.
- Leave open spaces between groups.
Taking a little time to neatly arrange your ships makes your freighter feel much more like a true mothership.
Easy Ship Summoning
The key advantage of storing ships on a freighter is the ability to quickly and easily summon them from anywhere in the system. To summon a ship:
- Bring up the quick menu by pressing X on PC, down on D-pad on console, or 2 on VR.
- Select the icon for your freighter.
- Choose the ship you want from the list.
This is much faster than having to constantly return to planets and space stations to change ships. You’ll never be stranded without the right ship for the job again.
Using Ships for Freighter Base Building
In addition to storage and transportation, ships docked in your freighter are also useful as decoration and essential for accessing some freighter base parts. Here are some tips:
- Build corridors to create ship display rooms.
- Use landing pads and illuminated panels near ships.
- Only ships grant access to the Orbital Exocraft Materialiser for summoning exocraft in space.
- Use light boxes and other effects to spotlight parked ships.
Parked ships are both functional for freighter expansions and aesthetically pleasing as display pieces.
Summary
Transferring all your ships to be stored in your freighter is the best way to manage a large collection. With expanded bulkhead storage, quick ship summoning, and decorative potential, freighter shipped parking offers many benefits. Just follow these steps:
- Purchase and upgrade a freighter
- Use the quick menu to transfer ships from planetside to the freighter
- Install bulkhead upgrades to maximize storage
- Summon any ship easily from anywhere
- Show off your ships with creative freighter base building
So assemble your perfect fleet across all ship types and models. Then park them all together in your freighter for ease of use. Your armada will always be nearby ready to scramble for whatever adventure awaits.
| Ship Type | Default Slots | Max Slots |
|---|---|---|
| Fighter | 2 | 6 |
| Hauler | 2 | 6 |
| Shuttle | 2 | 6 |
| Exotic | 1 | 6 |
| Regular | 6 | 9 |
This table shows the default and maximum number of ships slots for each type of ship that can be stored on a freighter. Increase slots by installing freighter bulkhead upgrades.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ships can I have total?
Your max ship collection is 9 regular ships, 6 of each specialist type like fighter and hauler, and 1 exotic ship. So the total maximum is 9 + 6*4 + 1 = 33 ships.
What is the fastest way to get ships onto a freighter?
The quickest method is to use the ship summoning mechanic. Land on a planet or space station, summon each ship in turn via the quick menu, then fly it into the freighter dock.
Can I rename my ships?
Yes, you can customize the name of any ship. Interact with the ship while docked and select the ‘Rename’ option.
What sizes can freighters be?
Freighters come in small, medium, and large variants. The number of max ship slots is tied to freighter size. Small = 6 ships, Medium = 9 ships, Large = 12 ships.
Do frigates dock in my freighter?
No, support frigates are separate from your personal ships. They will be flying around nearby your freighter when in the same system.
Should I dismantle old ships once I get better ones?
No need, you can keep a collection of ships even if you don’t use them all. They don’t cost any resources while stored.
Conclusion
Managing a fleet of ships is made easy with the ability to store them all in your freighter. Take advantage of this feature to collect an assortment of all the different ship types available. Quickly summon exactly the ship you need for dogfighting, cargo hauling, exploration or any other situation. Build out your freighter base with your prized ships on display. With all the benefits freighter storage offers, you’ll never have to choose just one ship again.
