Outworld Station Ship Building Guide: How to Build Starships & Complete Contracts

The first time I built a ship, I expected a toy. Something to fly around and look cool. What I got was a passive income machine that changed how I play the game.

Ships unlock the contract system, which replaces manual grinding with automated rewards. Build a ship, assign it to a contract, and it earns credits + materials while you do something else. Here’s what I wish someone had told me before I wasted 10 hours ignoring the Shipyard.

The Short Version

Ships = Contracts = Money + Resources. You build ships, assign them to contracts, and they generate rewards over time.

Part 1: What You Need Before Building Ships

Ships require infrastructure. Don’t start building until you have:

Part 2: Building Your First Ship

Step 1: Research the Shipyard

The shipyard is your ship construction building. Research it when your power is stable.

Step 2: Build the Shipyard

Place the shipyard with clearance around it. Ships spawn adjacent to the yard.

Placement tips:

• Leave empty space on at least one side
• Don’t cram it into your main base cluster
• Consider proximity to materials

Step 3: Supply Materials

Ships need specific materials based on ship type. Your first ship will likely need:

• Steel plates
• Electronics
• Composite materials

The shipyard pulls from your storage automatically via inventory pairing.

Step 4: Select Ship Type

Different ships have different capabilities:

Step 5: Build and Launch

Once materials are supplied and ship type selected:

1. Construction begins automatically
2. Power draw spikes — make sure you have headroom
3. Ship spawns next to shipyard when complete
4. Ship is now available for contract assignment

Part 3: Contracts Explained

What Are Contracts?

Contracts are missions you assign ships to complete. They generate:

• Credits (currency)
• Resources
• Reputation (unlocks better contracts)

Accessing Contracts

Build a Contract Terminal. This shows all available contracts.

Contract types:

• Delivery: Transport cargo from A to B
• Supply Run: Fetch specific resources
• Exploration: Map unknown sectors
• Mining: Extract resources from asteroids
• Escort: Protect NPC ships

Assigning Ships to Contracts

1. Open Contract Terminal
2. Select a contract
3. Assign an available ship
4. Ship travels to contract location
5. Contract completes automatically over time
6. Rewards deposited when ship returns

Part 4: Managing Multiple Ships

Once you have a fleet, coordination becomes important.

Fleet Composition

I recommend:

• 2 Scouts for quick contracts
• 1 Freighter for bulk work
• 1 Mining Ship when mining contracts are available

This covers most contract types without overspecializing.

Stagger Your Contracts

Don’t send all ships out at once. Stagger them so you always have ships returning with rewards rather than all away simultaneously.

Pattern that works:

• Day 1: Send Scout A
• Day 2: Send Scout B
• Day 3: Send Freighter
• Day 4: Scout A returns → send Scout A

This creates a rotation with consistent income.

Part 5: Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Building Ships Too Early

If you can’t power the shipyard or supply materials consistently, you’re building a very expensive decoration.

Fix: Wait until your production chain is stable. Ships expand your operation; they don’t bootstrap it.

Mistake 2: Wrong Ship for Wrong Contract

Assigning a slow Freighter to a time-sensitive contract.

Fix: Check contract requirements before assigning. Speed and cargo requirements are listed.

Mistake 3: Ignoring Ship Maintenance

Ships degrade over time and need repairs.

Fix: Build a repair bay near your shipyard. Schedule ships for maintenance between contracts.

Part 6: Advanced Ship Strategies

Wormhole Contracts

Some contracts require wormhole access. These pay better.

Setup: Research wormholes → Connect to contract locations → Assign ship

The ship uses your wormhole network to reach distant contracts.

Contract Chaining

Complete contracts in the same region sequentially. This minimizes travel time between contracts.

Method: Check contract locations → Plan ship routes → Assign contracts in geographic clusters

Resource Extraction Ships

Mining ships are unique — they generate resources directly from asteroids, not just credits.

When to use: When you need specific resources that are scarce locally but available via contract asteroids.

Quick Reference

Troubleshooting

Ship won’t build: Check power and materials. Shipyard needs both to function.

Contract not completing: Ship might be wrong type for contract requirements. Cancel and reassign.

Ships disappearing: You may have sent them to a location without wormhole access. They’ll return eventually, but can’t complete the contract.

FAQ

Q: Shipyard I vs II — what’s the difference?

I builds small ships (scout, cargo). II builds combat ships and Ark components. Only build I early game; II is a mid/late-game investment.