Starfield lets you explore all the systems present within it, and by doing that, you get to go to different planets. Many of these planets are rich in different resources, so you can Survey each Planet in Starfield to reach a 100% survey score.
This will be somewhat valuable for you as once you get the complete survey data on that specific planet; you can sell it for credits in Starfield. The things that will count towards a 100% Survey Score include Landmarks, Resources, and the Planet’s Traits (Flora and Fauna).
To better grasp the survey data, you can read on as I cover all aspects of getting a 100% Planet Survey Score in this Starfield guide.
How to 100% Survey Planets in Starfield
To begin with, when you get down on your planet, you can press the LB button or the key you assigned to open your scanner in Starfield. Once your scanning device is up, you can run around the area and look around the surface of that planet.
This way, anything scanned will be Green, whereas the things that aren’t will be displayed as Blue. As long as you have your visor up, you can cover some radius depending on how much you upgraded it.
All you need to do is run around and aim for the blue stuff in the surroundings. Moreover, you will have difficulty scanning plants and animals, so you must scan them more than once in Starfield.
Scan Flora
These are the different plants you will discover on the planet you want to conduct a 100% survey score on. As usual, you will need to use your scanner to scan the Flora, which will appear Blue at first.
Scan it twice, just in case you missed it earlier. During the scanning process, when the thing you are scanning turns Green, it will mean that all species of that specific plant have been scanned 100%.
Scan Fauna
This term refers to the animal species you find on the planet’s surface in Starfield. These planets house the necessary conditions for these wildlife to thrive. Moreover, before conducting this survey, you must also spend some points on leveling up your Surveying Skills.
As usual, get your scanner up and scan the wildlife that appears as blue. Since these creatures can be found moving around, you must scan them twice to get a 100% Survey score on the Fauna in Starfield.
Planet Traits
Each planet you visit and conduct the Survey Score on will have its traits in Starfield. The number of these specific traits will range from 1 and go all the way up to 4, making it easier to scan as well.
Use your scanner and search around the objects and resources to identify any missing green objects. This way, you will stumble across some Unknown Icons or Points of Interest.
You will discover some unexplored Geological Features, which will be indicated as blue on your scanner. Moreover, you will also find the Landmarks on the planet by heading over to these unknown icons. Make sure to scan them all entirely, and once they are green, your Survey score will be complete in Starfield.
Resources
During your exploration, you will also come across minerals, rocks, ores, etc., which your scanner will highlight as blue items. These will be the resources found at different geographical locations, such as caves, etc., on that particular planet.
Since many of these can be rare, make sure to get a complete survey scan on these. Moreover, you can also use these for crafting and research purposes as well during different missions. By scanning them, they will also contribute towards your Survey Score in Starfield.
How to get 100% survey data without scanning
If you aren’t interested in all the legwork to scan all the flora and fauna of each planet or moon, there is a neat trick to still gather all the survey data each location has to offer. However, do keep in mind that this method isn’t always a guarantee.
Instead of scanning individual sources, you can look for Abandoned Research Towers. Climb to the top of the tower and interact with the computer there. This will allow you to download planetary research data. While this research data isn’t always guaranteed to give you complete research info about the location, in most cases it does. Since rewards seem to be randomized, you might get info about a trait or research data.
Do keep in mind that these research towers in Starfield aren’t always guaranteed to spawn either. They might appear on a certain planet or moon for one player and might not for another.
Rewards for a 100% planet survey in Starfield?
Once you complete a 100% planet survey in Starfield, it will contribute towards your Constellation mission. If you are looking for a reward, you won’t be able to get much of that with this activity. You can only earn some credits and XP by selling the planet survey data you assembled. Lastly, you will get some XP while scanning Flora and Fauna in Starfield.
