Starfield Outpost Building Guide 2026: Best Locations, Cargo Links & Skills
Outposts turn Starfield’s planets into a steady supply of crafting materials, and with a little planning they can feed your research, weapon mods and ship upgrades for the rest of the game. This guide covers how outposts work, the best places to build, how to connect outposts with cargo links, and the skills that make it all easier. Updated October 2026.
Note: we have corrected earlier versions of this page, which had errors in the skill trees, cargo link setup and some resource locations.
How Outposts Work
- Place a beacon. Your outpost beacon creates a build area, and it lists every resource inside that area. Those are the only extractors you can build there, so scan the surface and move around until you find a spot that covers the deposits you want.
- Build power. Extractors need power from solar panels, wind turbines or a fueled generator. The fueled generator produces the most power but needs a steady supply of Helium-3.
- Build extractors and storage. Link each extractor to the matching storage type: solid, liquid or gas. The outpost menu shows how much you produce per minute.
- Defend it. Enemies such as Spacers can attack outposts while you are away, so add turrets once you can.
Start small: a habitat with an airlock and an Industrial Workbench gives you somewhere to craft the more complex structure pieces you will need later.
Best Outpost Locations
Look for a spot with no extreme conditions and common materials like Iron and Aluminum, ideally with Helium-3 too. These are some of the most popular choices:
| Location | System | Resources | Why build here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andraphon (moon) | Narion | Iron, Aluminum, Helium-3, Beryllium | The classic starter outpost; some spots cover all four |
| Zamka (moon of Olivas) | Alpha Centauri | Helium-3, Water, Nickel, Copper, Iron, Uranium, Cobalt, Vanadium | Temperate and reachable right from the start |
| Linnaeus IV-b (moon) | Linnaeus | Water, Helium-3, Aluminum, Iron, Lead, Beryllium, Ytterbium, Alkanes | A wide spread of resources in one place |
| Kreet (moon of Anselon) | Narion | Iron, Lead, Water, Argon, Helium-3, Silver, Neon, Alkanes | Temperate with manageable wildlife |
| Jemison | Alpha Centauri | Water, Chlorine, Chlorosilane, Lead, Argon | Next door to New Atlantis; good for Argon and Chlorosilane |
| Pyrocyon III | Pyrocyon | Copper, Argon, Fluorine, Neon, Tetrafluorides, Ionic Liquids | Good second outpost once you have Iron and Aluminum |
| Titan (moon of Saturn) | Sol | Water, Lead, Titanium, Tungsten | Late-game; needs Planetary Habitation |
For a full breakdown of where every material spawns, see our resources guide and planets guide.
Connecting Outposts with Cargo Links
Cargo links move resources between outposts automatically, so one outpost can supply another.
Two types of link
- Cargo Link – connects two outposts in the same star system.
- Inter-System Cargo Link – connects outposts in different systems. It needs the Manufacturing 1 research project and runs on Helium-3 fuel, so a dedicated Helium-3 outpost is worth setting up.
How to set one up
- Build a cargo link at both outposts.
- Connect your storage containers to the link’s outgoing slot. Only resources in linked containers get sent.
- Use the terminal on the cargo link to choose which outpost it sends to.
- At the receiving outpost, connect the link to storage so incoming resources have somewhere to go.
Each outpost supports a limited number of cargo links (the Outpost Management skill adds more), so decide early which outposts will supply the others.
Skills That Help
| Skill | Tree | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Outpost Engineering | Science | Unlocks improved, superior and cutting-edge outpost modules; Rank 4 halves module build costs |
| Planetary Habitation | Science | Lets you build on extreme planets (temperature, pressure, toxic atmosphere, high gravity) and raises your outpost limit |
| Outpost Management | Social | Extra cargo links, robots and crew at each outpost; Rank 4 makes extractors produce twice as fast |
| Scanning | Science | Detects rarer resources on planet surfaces |
Crew at Outposts
Build a crew station to assign crew members to an outpost. The right crew skills can boost resource output or help defend the outpost, but crew are optional. The Outpost Management skill (Social) raises how many crew you can assign.
What to Do With Your Resources
- Craft ship, weapon and spacesuit upgrades, and complete research projects.
- Build more advanced outpost modules.
- Complete supply missions using inter-system cargo links.
- Sell surplus to vendors. For the best credit pools, see our guide to selling at The Key.
Outposts are also the engine behind the fastest leveling method in the game. See our XP farming guide for the Venus crafting loop.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best first outpost in Starfield?
Andraphon in the Narion system is the most common pick, thanks to Iron, Aluminum, Helium-3 and Beryllium in one area. Zamka in Alpha Centauri is a good alternative you can reach from the start.
Can I connect outposts in different systems?
Yes, with an Inter-System Cargo Link. You need the Manufacturing 1 research project and a supply of Helium-3.
Can outposts be attacked?
Yes. Enemies can attack while you are away, so build turrets. Damaged structures need to be repaired before the outpost works properly again.