Research
Technology is the engine of progress. Five eras of research unlock everything from basic mining improvements to galaxy-spanning megastructures. The tech tree spans 3 branches (Economy, Military, Science) and 13 categories.
How Research Works
- Research requires a Research Lab. Higher lab levels unlock more advanced technologies.
- Each Research Lab is its own slot — every colony with a lab can run one research project in parallel, so building labs on more planets lets you research multiple techs simultaneously.
- The same technology can only be researched on one planet at a time.
- Research costs resources and takes time. Both scale with each era.
- Some technologies have prerequisites — you must complete certain techs before unlocking others.
- Many technologies can be leveled up multiple times (up to 5) for stacking bonuses. Cost and time scale with each level.
- Use Precursor Fragments to speed up research when available.
Era Progression
The tech tree spans five eras. To unlock a new era, you need to complete a certain number of technologies from the previous era.
| Era | Theme | Key Unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| Era 1 — Planetary | Foundation | Resource production, energy, sensors, probes, basic armor, computing |
| Era 2 — Orbital | Space Access | Shipyards, combat ships, shields, weapons, trade, AI officer |
| Era 3 — Interstellar | Expansion | FTL, colonization, mining fleets, assault, plasma, moon, wormholes |
| Era 4 — Advanced | Power | Ion/torpedo weapons, jump drives, zero-point energy, battleships, cyberwarfare |
| Era 5 — Ultimate | Endgame | Antimatter weapons, dark matter tech, megastructures, titans, Alcubierre drive |
Era 1 — Planetary
Your foundation. These technologies improve basic resource production, unlock your first exploration tools, and prepare you for space.
Economy — Mining & Energy
Improved Mining
Advanced extraction techniques that increase ore mining efficiency across all colonies. +5% ore per level. Lab 1. Up to 5 levels.
Silicate Refining
Improved silicate processing yields higher purity and output. Boosts silicate production. Early-game tech, stackable across multiple levels.
Hydrogen Synthesis
Atmospheric processors extract hydrogen more efficiently. +5% hydrogen per level. Lab 1. Up to 5 levels.
Energy Systems
Fundamental understanding of energy distribution. +5% energy per level. Lab 1. Up to 5 levels.
Structural Alloys
New alloy compositions increase foundry output. Unlocks Alloy Foundry. +5% alloys per level. Lab 2. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Improved Mining.
Advanced Solar Collectors
High-efficiency photovoltaic arrays. +3% energy per level. Lab 2. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Energy Systems.
Thermal Extraction
Geothermal energy harvesting. Unlocks the Thermal Plant. Lab 2. Requires: Improved Mining, Energy Systems.
Economy — Industry
Expanded Warehousing
Compression and stacking technologies increase all storage capacity. +20% storage per level. Lab 1. Up to 5 levels.
Construction Optimization
Streamlined building processes reduce construction time. +5% build speed per level. Lab 2. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Structural Alloys.
Economy — Population
Dense Housing Modules
Compact living quarters support larger populations. +20% population capacity per level. Lab 2. Up to 5 levels.
Bio-Agriculture
Advanced hydroponics and gene-edited crops. Unlocks Bio Complex. +5% pop growth per level. Lab 1. Up to 5 levels.
Workforce Management
Optimized labor allocation. +10% pop growth, +5% build speed per level. Lab 2. Requires: Dense Housing, Bio-Agriculture.
Military — Defense
Basic Armor Plating
Reinforced hull plating. +2% ship HP, +5% building HP per level. Unlocks Defense Traps. Lab 1. Up to 5 levels.
Point Defense Systems
Rapid-fire anti-air turrets that intercept incoming assault shuttles. +10% AA intercept per level. Unlocks AA Turret. Lab 4. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Basic Armor.
Science — Scanning
Basic Sensors
Improved sensor arrays extend scanning range to adjacent sectors. +1 sector visibility. Lab 1.
Probe Technology
Unmanned reconnaissance probes. Probes (and other recon ships) auto-explore systems along their flight path during Explore missions. +1 sector visibility. Lab 2. Requires: Basic Sensors.
Signal Intelligence
Unlocks espionage operations. Deploy spy probes to intercept enemy signals and gather planetary intelligence. Lab 2. Requires: Basic Sensors.
Science — Computing
Basic Computing
Parallel processing algorithms accelerate research calculations. +3% research speed per level. Lab 1. Up to 5 levels.
Era 2 — Orbital
The age of space. Build shipyards, construct your first fleet, develop weapons and shields, and begin trading.
Economy — Mining & Energy
Advanced Metallurgy
Superior smelting processes yield stronger alloys. +3% alloys, +3% ore per level. Lab 4. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Structural Alloys.
Basic Mining Operations
Fundamental asteroid extraction techniques. Allows freighters to harvest ore from asteroid fields. Lab 3. Requires: Orbital Mechanics.
Economy — Industry
Assembly Lines
Automated assembly systems accelerate ship construction. +5% shipyard speed per level. Lab 4. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Structural Alloys, Construction Optimization.
Economy — Trade
Basic Trade
Establish primitive barter systems between player colonies. Unlocks player trade. Lab 3. Requires: Orbital Mechanics.
Market Access
Establish contact with the Wanderer merchant fleet. Unlocks galactic market hubs. Lab 3. Requires: Orbital Mechanics.
Cargo Expansion
Modular cargo bay extensions increase ordinary ship cargo and the dedicated mining holds of mining ships. +8% cargo per level. Lab 5. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Transport Logistics, Basic Trade.
Trade Contracts
Formal trade agreements within your alliance. Enables the Trade Hub for alliance trading. Lab 4. Requires: Basic Trade.
Military — Weapons
Laser Weapons
Focused energy beam weapons. Unlocks Fighters. +1% attack per level. Lab 3. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Energy Systems, Orbital Mechanics.
Kinetic Weapons
Railguns and mass drivers, effective against armor. +3% attack per level. Lab 4. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Laser Weapons.
Military — Defense
Shield Theory
Silicate resonance fields shaped into protective barriers. Unlocks Shield Generator and Storage Cloaking. +2% damage reduction per level. Lab 3. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Silicate Refining, Energy Systems.
Military — Ships
Fighter Doctrine
Tactical doctrine for fighter squadrons. +2% attack per level. Lab 3. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Laser Weapons, Orbital Mechanics.
Transport Logistics
Optimized cargo handling. Unlocks Transport Shuttles. +20% shuttle cargo per level. Lab 5. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Orbital Mechanics.
Military — Fleet Command
AI Officer Protocol
Automated fleet management. Enables basic auto-evacuation when hostile fleets are detected. Lab 5. Requires: Orbital Mechanics.
Fleet Coordination
Coordinate multiple fleet groups. +1 fleet slot, +1% ship speed per level. Lab 3. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Orbital Mechanics.
Science — Navigation
Orbital Mechanics
Understanding of orbital construction. Unlocks Planetary Shipyard, Scouts, and Freighters. Lab 2. Requires: Structural Alloys.
Orbital Construction
Zero-gravity fabrication. Unlocks the Orbital Shipyard. Lab 7. Requires: Orbital Mechanics.
Impulse Drive
High-thrust ion engines significantly increase sub-light travel speed. +4% ship speed per level. Lab 3. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Orbital Mechanics.
Navigation Computer
Automated pathfinding systems. Lv.1 enables patrol missions and starts Patrol Capacity. Higher levels improve fleet command and can expand patrol capacity. +1 fleet slot per level. Lab 3. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Orbital Mechanics.
Science — Computing
Network Protocols
Inter-colony communication networks enable trade and data sharing. Lab 3. Requires: Basic Computing, Orbital Mechanics.
Science — PvE & Expeditions
Anomaly Scanning
Detect gravitational anomalies and energy signatures in explored systems. Lab 3. Requires: Basic Sensors.
Salvage Operations
Collect valuable wreckage and debris from space battles. Lab 3. Requires: Orbital Mechanics.
Era 3 — Interstellar
Expansion era. FTL travel, colonization, mining operations, assault capabilities, and moon access define this pivotal stage.
Economy — Mining & Energy
Deep Core Mining
Drill into planetary mantles. +3% ore, +2% silicates per level. Lab 6. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Advanced Metallurgy, Improved Mining.
Mining Fleet Operations
Asteroid field extraction protocols. Unlocks Mining Vessels and Gas Collectors. Lab 7. Requires: Deep Core Mining.
Hydrogen Cracking
Catalytic cracking of complex hydrocarbons. +3% hydrogen per level. Lab 6. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Hydrogen Synthesis, Thermal Extraction.
Economy — Industry
Mass Production
Standardized modular components reduce ship costs. -3% ship cost per level. Lab 6. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Assembly Lines.
Advanced Refining
Optimized smelting and microgravity refinement. +10% alloys. Unlocks Low-G Refinery. Lab 8. Requires: Advanced Metallurgy, Mass Production.
Outpost Engineering
Enables building outposts on asteroid fields. Unlocks Engineer Ships and Repair Ships. Lab 8. Requires: Mining Fleet Ops, Construction Optimization.
Economy — Trade
Interstellar Trade Networks
Establishes trade routes between star systems and unlocks automated resource exchange. Lab 8. Requires: FTL Theory, Basic Trade.
Interplanetary Supply Chains
Automated supply chains between star systems. Unlocks Logistics Hub. Lab 8. Requires: FTL Theory, Basic Trade.
Economy — Population
Colonial Governance
Centralized governance. +10% pop growth, +1 colony slot. Lab 8. Requires: Workforce Management, Colonization Tech.
Cultural Development
Fostering arts and culture. Unlocks Cultural Center. Lab 5. Requires: Workforce Management.
Genetic Adaptation
Targeted gene therapies. +15% pop capacity, +1 colony slot. Lab 10. Requires: Bio-Agriculture.
Military — Weapons
Plasma Weapons
Superheated plasma projectiles. +3% attack per level. Lab 6. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Kinetic Weapons, Advanced Metallurgy.
Missile Systems
Self-guided warheads. Unlocks Missile Cruisers. +1% attack per level. Lab 7. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Kinetic Weapons.
Electronic Warfare
EM jamming and sensor disruption. Unlocks EW Ships. +5% counter-intel per level. Lab 6. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Laser Weapons, Shield Theory.
Mine Warfare
Deployable space mines for area denial. Unlocks Mine Layers and defensive mine deployment. A Covert Mining fleet must include at least one Stealth Ship, one Mine Layer, and one EW Ship and Hacker Ship for every Mine Layer; no other ship types are accepted. The research also improves anti-air interception. Lab 5. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Kinetic Weapons.
Military — Defense
Advanced Shielding
Equips all ships with energy shields. +10% shield strength, +2% damage reduction per level. Lab 6. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Shield Theory.
Composite Armor
Layered alloy-ceramic armor. +3% ship HP and +1% ship speed per level. Lab 6. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Basic Armor, Advanced Metallurgy.
Fortress Protocols
Hardened defense doctrine. +5% garrison per level. Unlocks Defense Platform. Lab 8. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Point Defense, Advanced Shielding.
Shield Harmonics
Frequency-tuned shield oscillation. +5% shield regen per level. Lab 6. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Advanced Shielding.
Military — Ships
Colonization Technology
Colony ship designs and terraform protocols. Unlocks Colony Ships. +1 colony slot. Lab 5. Requires: FTL Theory, Dense Housing.
Cruiser Design
Heavy warship blueprints. Unlocks Cruisers. +1% ship HP per level. Lab 7. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Orbital Construction, Advanced Metallurgy.
Carrier Operations
Mobile airbase doctrine. Unlocks Carriers and increases how many assigned Fighters, Bombers, or Assault Shuttles their hangars can support. Lab 8. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Cruiser Design, Fighter Doctrine.
Stealth Technology
Unlocks Stealth Ships, long surveillance, and the lunar Stealth Field, while improving counter-intelligence. It does not make ordinary fleets invisible. Lab 7. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Electronic Warfare.
Military — Fleet Command
Assault Tactics
Advanced ground assault doctrines. Unlocks Assault Shuttles and Hacker Ships. +1% attack per level. Lab 6. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Advanced Shielding, Kinetic Weapons.
Fleet Tactics
Advanced tactical formations improve the fleet's initiative during the first combat round and increase ship speed. The tactical combat benefit does not repeat every round. Lab 6. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Fleet Coordination.
Alliance Communications
Encrypted inter-alliance channels. +5% counter-intel. Unlocks shared vision with allies. Lab 6. Requires: Fleet Coordination, Basic Trade.
Science — Navigation
FTL Theory
Theoretical framework for faster-than-light travel between star systems. Unlocks FTL. Lab 5. Requires: Orbital Mechanics, Hydrogen Synthesis.
Warp Drive
Space-time compression technology. +6% FTL speed per level. Lab 6. Up to 5 levels. Requires: FTL Theory, Impulse Drive.
Fuel Efficiency
Optimized fuel injection and recapture. -4% fuel cost per level. Lab 5. Up to 5 levels. Requires: FTL Theory.
Science — Scanning
Deep Space Scanning
Long-range subspace telescopes dramatically expand sensor reach. Lab 5. Requires: Probe Technology.
Counter-Intelligence
Electronic countermeasures block enemy scans. +15% counter-intel per level. Lab 7. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Signal Intelligence, Encryption Systems.
Science — Computing
Quantum Computing
Quantum processors accelerate all research. +5% research speed per level. Lab 6. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Network Protocols, Silicate Refining.
Encryption Systems
Military-grade encryption protects communications. +10% counter-intel per level. Lab 5. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Network Protocols.
Science — PvE & Expeditions
Dead Zone Navigation
Enables expeditions into Dead Space. Each expedition requires exactly the specialist minimum shown by the mission: two Stealth Ships and one Hacker Ship. Lab 9. Requires: FTL Theory, Quantum Computing.
Rift Navigation
Enables expeditions into the Rift. Rift expeditions require scouts and a combat-capable fleet. Lab 10. Requires: FTL Theory, Quantum Computing.
Wormhole Theory
Theoretical models for navigating unstable wormholes. Access Class 1-2 wormholes. Lab 6. Requires: FTL Theory, Deep Space Scanning.
Artifact Analysis
Allows expeditions and Xenoarchaeology missions to recover artifacts and enables unidentified artifacts to be studied at a Research Lab. Higher levels add concurrent study slots, up to three. Lab 6. Requires: Anomaly Scanning.
Science — Lunar
Lunar Operations
Enables moon colonization and resource extraction. Unlocks Lunar Shuttles. +1 moon slot. Lab 10. Requires: Orbital Mechanics.
Era 4 — Advanced
Power projection. Jump drives, ion cannons, zero-point energy, advanced shields, and more. This is where empires become formidable.
Economy — Mining & Energy
Rare Resource Extraction
Advanced techniques for exotic materials. Unlocks Ice Drills. +25% cryo ice production. Lab 8. Requires: Mining Fleet Ops.
Rare Resource Processing
Advanced refinement for quantum dust and plasma cores. Unlocks Excavators. +20% quantum dust & plasma core production per level. Lab 10. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Rare Resource Extraction.
Zero-Point Energy
Harness quantum vacuum fluctuations. +20% energy. Unlocks Zero-Point Generator. Lab 12. Requires: Advanced Solar, Rare Resource Processing.
Economy — Industry
Nanofabrication
Molecular-scale assembly. +7% build speed, -2% ship cost per level. Lab 12. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Mass Production, Advanced Refining.
Advanced Outpost Systems
Upgraded outpost modules allow more outposts and higher building levels. Lab 12. Requires: Outpost Engineering.
Economy — Trade
Trade Mastery
Better terms with merchant guilds. Each level reduces market commission and expands total storage at public Market Hubs. -0.5% market commission per level. Lab 6. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Trade Contracts, Market Access.
Logistics Mastery
Optimized supply chains. +10% transport speed per level. Lab 8. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Cargo Expansion, Supply Chains.
Economy — Population
Advanced Governance
Sophisticated bureaucratic systems. +2 colony slots. Lab 12. Requires: Colonial Governance.
Terraforming
Reshape planetary environments. Unlocks terraforming feature. +2 colony slots. Lab 14. Requires: Genetic Adaptation, Outpost Engineering.
Military — Weapons
Ion Cannons
Ionized particle beams are especially effective against shielded targets. Research gives each individual ion hit a chance to collapse the target's current shield and also improves attack. Lab 10. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Plasma Weapons, Advanced Shielding.
Torpedo Systems
Heavy warheads designed to cripple capital ships. +15% torpedo bonus, +1% attack. Lab 10. Requires: Missile Systems.
Siege Weapons
Orbital bombardment systems. +5% planetary attack per level. Lab 12. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Torpedo Systems, Assault Tactics.
Weapons Overcharge
Overclock weapon capacitors. +3% attack per level. Lab 10. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Plasma Weapons.
Military — Defense
Adaptive Shields
Shields dynamically adjust frequency. +3% damage reduction per level. Lab 10. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Shield Harmonics.
Heavy Armor
Thick ablative plating for capital ships. +3% ship HP per level. Lab 10. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Composite Armor.
Planetary Fortress
Comprehensive planetary defense network. +8% planetary defense per level. Lab 12. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Fortress Protocols.
Military — Ships
Battleship Design
Capital warship with devastating firepower. Unlocks Battleships. +1% ship HP per level. Lab 12. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Cruiser Design, Heavy Armor.
Dreadnought Design
Massive super-capital warship. Unlocks Dreadnoughts. Beginning this research requires sufficient free energy on the research planet. +1% attack per level. Lab 12. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Battleship Design.
Fleet Auxiliary Systems
Dedicated support vessels for fleet maintenance. +2% ship HP per level. Lab 10. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Cruiser Design, Outpost Engineering.
Bomber Wing Doctrine
Specialized anti-structure bomber tactics. Unlocks Bombers. +2% planetary attack per level. Lab 10. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Carrier Operations, Missile Systems.
Military — Fleet Command
Advanced AI Officer
Enhanced threat analysis with smart evacuation. Auto-loads cargo during retreat. +2% ship speed. Lab 10. Requires: AI Officer Protocol.
Grand Strategy
Supreme tactical command systems. +2 fleet slots, -10% fuel cost per level. Lab 12. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Fleet Tactics, Neural Networks.
Combined Operations
Coordinate combined assaults with alliance members. Lab 7. Requires: Fleet Tactics, Alliance Communications.
Alliance Logistics
Optimized supply lines. +30% transfer and gift mission speed. Lab 10. Requires: Alliance Communications, Supply Chains.
Science — Navigation
Jump Drive
Instantaneous point-to-point teleportation. Enables Jump Gates on moons. Lab 10. Requires: Warp Drive.
Advanced Navigation
AI-optimized route planning. +2 fleet slots. Lab 10. Requires: Navigation Computer, Fleet Tactics.
Science — Scanning
Galactic Cartography
Complete mapping of your spiral arm. All sectors within your arm become partially visible. Lab 8. Requires: Deep Space Scanning.
Quantum Sensors
Quantum-entangled sensors detect cloaked ships and reveal fleet compositions. Lab 10. Requires: Galactic Cartography, Counter-Intelligence.
Science — Computing
Neural Networks
Advanced AI systems. +15% research speed, +1 fleet slot. Lab 10. Requires: Quantum Computing.
Cyberwarfare
Hack enemy colony systems to disrupt operations. Lab 12. Requires: Encryption Systems, Electronic Warfare.
Science — PvE & Expeditions
Deep Wormhole Navigation
Navigate deeper, more dangerous wormholes. Access Class 3-4 wormholes. Lab 9. Requires: Wormhole Theory, Advanced Shielding.
Rogue Genesis Research
Study rogue AI patterns. Enables encountering Ancient AI in the Rift. Lab 12. Requires: Rift Navigation, Artifact Analysis.
Xenoarchaeology
Study ancient alien ruins on moons for unique blueprints and bonuses. Lab 10. Requires: Artifact Analysis, Lunar Operations.
Science — Lunar
Lunar Expansion
Advanced lunar engineering. Increases moon colony limit to 3. Lab 12. Requires: Lunar Operations.
Era 5 — Ultimate
The pinnacle of technology. These game-changing breakthroughs define late-game empires. Extremely expensive but immensely powerful.
Economy — Industry
Megastructure Engineering
Galaxy-scale engineering. Unlocks Dyson Sphere, Molecular Assembler, Quantum Nexus. +3 colony slots. Lab 16. Requires: Nanofabrication, Advanced Outposts.
Economy — Trade
Galactic Exchange
Galaxy-spanning marketplace accessible from any colony. Unlocks remote trading. Lab 14. Requires: Trade Mastery, Galactic Cartography.
Military — Weapons
Antimatter Warheads
Matter-antimatter annihilation weaponry. +3% attack per level. Lab 14. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Weapons Overcharge, Ion Cannons.
Dark Matter Weapons
Exotic matter weapons that bypass all known shield technology. +0.5% armor pierce, +1% attack per level. Costs dark matter. Lab 16. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Antimatter Warheads, Rare Resource Processing.
Planet Cracker
Concentrated graviton beam devastates planetary defenses and outpost shields. +5% planetary attack, +2% attack per level. Lab 16. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Siege Weapons, Antimatter Warheads.
CNRhK
Condensed Neutron Resonance hyperKinetic weapon technology for planetary defenses and outpost shields. +7% planetary attack and +2% fleet attack. Lab 15. Requires: Siege Weapons, Antimatter Warheads.
Military — Defense
Phase Shields
Phase-shifted shield barriers have a chance to completely negate incoming hits. +1% phase dodge, +2% damage reduction per level. Lab 14. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Adaptive Shields.
Nanobot Repair Systems
Self-replicating nanobots continuously repair damage even during combat. +1% nanobot repair, +1% ship HP per level. Lab 16. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Heavy Armor, Nanofabrication.
Military — Ships
Titan Design
One-of-a-kind flagship — the most powerful vessel in existence. One per empire. Unlocks Titans. Beginning this research requires sufficient free energy on the research planet. +1% attack per level. Costs quantum dust & dark matter. Lab 16. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Dreadnought Design, Megastructure Engineering.
Ship Mastery
Perfected hull designs benefit all ship classes. +7% shipyard speed, +2% ship HP per level. Lab 16. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Battleship Design, Nanofabrication.
Military — Fleet Command
Supreme Command
Massively expands fleet command capacity. +5 fleet slots. Lab 16. Requires: Grand Strategy.
Alliance Mastery
Peak military coordination. +2% attack, +2% damage reduction. Lab 16. Requires: Alliance Logistics, Combined Operations.
Science — Navigation
Quantum Drive
Quantum tunneling propulsion — fastest and most efficient drive. +8% FTL speed, -6% fuel cost per level. Lab 14. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Jump Drive, Warp Drive.
Galactic Highway Network
Interconnected jump gate network. Instant fleet transfer between colonies. Lab 16. Requires: Advanced Navigation, Jump Drive.
Science — Scanning
Omniscience Array
A network of quantum-entangled sensors spanning the galaxy. Full visibility of all systems. Lab 14. Requires: Quantum Sensors.
Science — Computing
Artificial Consciousness
Self-evolving AI dramatically reduces research time. +5% research speed per level. Lab 14. Up to 5 levels. Requires: Neural Networks.
Science — PvE & Expeditions
Genesis Core Hacking
Hack rogue Genesis AI cores to acquire their advanced technology. Lab 14. Requires: Rogue Genesis Research, Deep Wormhole Navigation.
Transcendent Artifacts
Allows a legendary artifact to be bound permanently by consuming Precursor Fragments and inactive lower-tier artifacts with the same effect. The Artifacts screen shows the exact required materials before confirmation. Lab 15. Requires: Xenoarchaeology, Genesis Core Hacking.
Alcubierre Bubble Drive
Warp the fabric of space-time around the fleet. Travel at extreme speed, completely invisible to enemy sensors. Requires antimatter fuel per trip. Costs dark matter & antimatter. Lab 16. Requires: Quantum Drive, Antimatter Warheads.
Science — Lunar
Lunar Mastery
Full lunar dominion. Increases moon colony limit to 5. Lab 14. Requires: Lunar Expansion.