In this detailed breakdown of the Caspian Explorer in Elite Dangerous, Ricardo introduces the new large exploration ship and the choices commanders face: not buying it, or purchasing one of three versions—the Standard, Stellar, or Galactic—each with varying features and price points. The Caspian Explorer is notable for its sleek design, exploration-focused build, and impressive jump range capabilities. Ricardo highlights the excitement around the ship, especially with upcoming events like Distant Worlds, and notes that purchasing it early requires ARX currency, with an in-game credit option expected after a few months.
The Standard version is the most basic and affordable, coming with minimal utility mounts and standard internals such as lightweight alloys, an 8E power plant, and a 7E thruster setup. Its jump range is around 20.41 light years with the included frame shift drive, making it a competent but modest explorer. It features two fixed pulse lasers and is compatible with a fighter bay, although it lacks the additional enhancements found in the more expensive versions. Ricardo appreciates the ship’s design but notes it is plain compared to its upgraded counterparts.
The Stellar version offers significant upgrades, including Mark 2 ablative lightweight armor, gravity-optimized thrusters, and a supercharged optimized frame shift drive, boosting jump range by approximately 16 light years over the Standard version. It also includes better sensors, heat sinks, a 7A fuel scoop, and more utility modules such as auto field maintenance units and planetary vehicle hangers. The Stellar version comes with extra cargo space and research controllers, making it ideal for deep-space exploration and data gathering. Ricardo suggests further customization with Guardian frame shift drive boosters to maximize performance.
The Galactic version focuses primarily on cosmetic enhancements, including a unique paint job called Beyond Scion, holographic ship kits, and additional aesthetic options like spoilers and wings. While it shares the same core internals and modules as the Stellar version, the Galactic edition offers a more visually striking appearance with holographic effects and exclusive livery colors. Ricardo demonstrates the ship’s sound design and weapon placements, noting seven hardpoints for combat readiness. He also tests the ablative armor’s planetary glide improvements, finding it provides a sharper and more controlled descent.
Finally, Ricardo showcases the Caspian Explorer’s remarkable jump capabilities, especially when using the supercharged optimized frame shift drive and exotic particle injection. On the test server, the Galactic version achieves an impressive jump range of over 216 light years unengineered, which can be further increased with engineering and frame shift drive boosters. He concludes that the Caspian Explorer lives up to its promise as a top-tier exploration vessel, offering commanders a powerful and versatile ship for long-range journeys and deep-space adventures.
