55 articlesThe Relics Redux Expedition is one of the most beginner-friendly and surprisingly fast expeditions No Man’s Sky has dropped. If you play it right, you can finish the whole thing in under two hours, and you barely need to bring anything from your main save. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the entire expedition from Phase 1 to Phase 5, explain each milestone in a simple flow, and share small tips that actually save time.
Whether this is your first expedition or you’re here for that sweet reward at the Quicksilver merchant, this walkthrough will make the whole run smoother, faster, and far less confusing.
Before You Start
You technically don’t need any gear for this expedition, but if you do want a small head start, here’s the optional pre-run prep:
1. Visit Pirate Stations
Hop into your save, teleport to every pirate system you’ve unlocked (skull icon).
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- Suspicious arms
- High-value contraband
- Trade items
Repeat on every pirate station you’ve unlocked. These convert into Nanites and help you unlock quality-of-life tech early.
2. Use the Expedition Kiosk
Transfer anything you want to bring in, but honestly?
I barely used any of it except the suspicious mods → turned into nanites → used to buy a decent ship.
3. IMPORTANT
- Make sure Multiplayer is OFF (to avoid griefing, clutter, and weird milestone conflicts).
- Pre-select the ship + multitool you want to use BEFORE entering the expedition kiosk.
And with that, let’s begin.
PHASE 1: Scanning, Gathering, Poop, Ruins & Your First Bones
1. Scan Everything You See
The starting planet is your first playground. Scan:
- Rocks
- Plants
- Animals
These trigger early milestones almost instantly.
2. Loot Every Container
Grab ferrite dust, carbon, sodium, oxygen, everything helps.
3. Search Caves
You might find humming sacs (big money early on). Lucky if you do!
4. Jump In & Out of Your Ship
Easy milestone.
5. Fix the Buggy Refiner
If the Portable Refiner bugs out:
- Interact repeatedly OR
- Drop items in while it’s fueled
6. Place Signal Booster
Use the Search Battery (both are milestone rewards).
Don’t go to the marked location yet.
7. Mine Copper → Turn into Chromatic Metal
You’ll need a chunk of this for future builds and crafting.
8. Gather Di-Hydrogen
You’ll need this for launcher fuel. Grab lots.
9. Adopt a Pet
Simple milestone. Feed, interact, done.
10. Throw Creature Pellets + Take a Photo
Do this MANUALLY using the camera, shortcut buttons don’t count.
11. Hazardous Fauna Hunt
Select Uprooted in your log to locate remaining dangerous plants.
You only need 6.
12. Collect 10 Poops
Throw pellets → wait → harvest poop.
Yes, really.
PHASE 2: Ancient Ruins, Warp Cells & Your First Monster Fight
1. Travel to the Dig Site
Scan for the ruins.
2. Dig Up 3 Artifact Fragments
Find the large artifact crate → insert the three fragments → milestone complete.
3. Craft Warp Cells
This menu is finicky, craft slowly if it bugs.
4. Head Into Space & Select “Do Not Disturb”
This points you to a planet with ancient bones.
5. Find Yellow Bones + Stab the Giant Eye
Use the Sweep Scanner.
Pick up bones → find the eye → stab it → monster spawns → milestone complete.
6. Select “Stone Ghosts”
Repeat bone recovery 2 more times.
7. Complete “Base Metal”
Dig up the buried relic and analyze it three times.
8. Scan Any Missing Flora
Finish the scanning milestones before moving on.
9. Space Station Cleanup
Sell junk in the Galactic Terminal.
10. Give a Bone to the Merchant
In the back area kiosk → give him ONE bone → milestone done.
11. Install Your Fishing Rod
You’ll use it soon.
PHASE 3: Fishing, Cronus, and Your First Skeleton Build
1. Go to a Water Planet Nearby
Find water → equip rod → put bait → cast.
Fishing milestone is super quick.
2. Warp to the Next Rendezvous Point
If you don’t see it, select the milestone.
3. Save at Space Station
(Though note: Expeditions auto-add the station when you warp, so you technically don’t need to enter for the save point.)
4. Summon the Anomaly
Do the milestone inside.
5. Optional QoL Tip
Turn suspicious mods into nanites here.
6. Give Cronus a Bone
Funny milestone name: Bone Appétit.
Easy.
7. Grab Your Good Ship
If you brought one via the kiosk, now’s the time to switch.
8. Head to the Rendezvous Camp
Speak to the NPC → dig up the bone.
This bone is sometimes rare—save it for your main save.
9. Build Your First Fossil Display
You need the milestone rewards to build these.
PHASE 4: Archaeology Mode – 40 Bones, Deep Digs & Fossil Museum Building
1. Select “Archaeologist”
Collect ~40 bones.
Big bone clusters = huge time saver.
2. Complete “Deeper Underground”
Just dig underground using the flatten tool.
Fastest method.
3. Warp → Save Routine → Head to Next Camp
Dig up bone → build:
- Bipedal Fossil
- Quadruped Display
- Reptilian Display
Complete each as you progress through rendezvous points.
4. Unlock Nutrient Processor Reward
Great convenience milestone.
5. Quick Tip:
You don’t need to build a Nutrient Processor.
There’s one inside the Anomaly next to Cronus.
6. Cook Bones for Marrow → Cook Marrow
2 bones = 2 marrow → cook marrow → milestone done.
PHASE 5: Protoform Fossil, Ruins & The Final Milestone
1. Go to the Final Rendezvous Planet
Build the Protoform Fossil.
2. Planets Not Revealed?
Go to space → scan planets → find Decaying Ruin world.
3. Select “Writing in Stone”
This unlocks the sweep scanner target.
Collect 3 inscriptions.
4. Final Milestone: “Rags and Bones”
Follow the path through warp.
5. Sell All Bones Except the 5 Best Ones
You may want to keep rares for your main save.
6. Summon Anomaly → Claim ALL Rewards
Includes your golden tier reward.
Finishing Up
1. Use the Kiosk to Transfer Gear Back to Main Save
Pick up any bones, items, or upgrades you want to keep.
2. End Expedition
Watch the beautiful cascade of rewards roll in.
3. Go to the Quicksilver Merchant
Collect your exclusive expedition rewards.
Bonus Tip
If your exosuit slots are already maxed, don’t bother saving suit upgrades, use them during the expedition instead.
But keep ALL multitool upgrades. Always worth it.
Wrap-Up: A Fast, Clean, Zero-Stress Run
Relics Redux is refreshing because it’s fast, chill, and surprisingly profitable. Most milestones chain into each other naturally, scan things, dig bones, build displays, and enjoy the quirky archaeology theme.
As long as you follow the route above, you’ll rarely backtrack and finish everything in under two hours without rush or pressure. And by the end, you walk away with:
✔️ A pile of rewards
✔️ A cool display set
✔️ And enough bones to open your own museum
Up next, if you still haven’t completed the Expedition 17 Redux Titan in No Man’s Sky, then I recommend that you check out our guide for that. It’s similar to this one and it’ll provide you with everything you need to know to breeze through the expedition!
