You can get loot and gear while flying through space by finding salvage containers.
These containers are new to the United Allies update which was released recently and they appear as large chests with a red light in the center.
The ship’s pilot can pick them up by just approaching them and pressing the salvage prompt, which makes them a great source of loot, gear, and resources!
Once it’s picked up, it will be inside of the ship’s cargo. It can be looted by any crewmate on the ship, and it can also be purged from the ship.
Purging will throw the container back into space which frees up the cargo bay. Remember to purge containers after salvaging their contents!
Do note that you can only hold one container at a time. This means your crew needs to salvage and purge it before picking up another one.
As for where to find them, these containers are primarily found near wrecks. Look out for broken ships, satellites, etc., and you should see a salvage container floating near them.
Also, the contents are completely randomized each time. All boxes look the same and there’s no way to tell what they hold until you salvage them and search them.
Still, they’re a fantastic source of resources, and you don’t even need to get out of the ship to pick them up. Keep your eyes peeled!