Thargoid Sensor

Template:CommodityInfobox Template:Quote Thargoid Sensors, originally known as Unknown Artefactsor UAs, are devices of unknown purpose created by the Thargoids and found at numerous sites across the Pleiades Nebula. The first of these objects was discovered by independent pilots on May 4, 3301, although it is believed that the Federation was already researching them by then. When Starports began going offline due to technical problems caused by Unknown Artefacts sold on local black markets, it even became a popular practice among outlaw pilots to sell the objects with the express aim of shutting certain Starports down. On June 26, 3303, it was discovered that the objects could be used to open doors in Thargoid Surface Sites, directly linking them to the Thargoids for the first time. On September 26, Unknown Artefacts were formally reclassified as Thargoid Sensors.

Description

File:Professor-Palin-and-Unknown-Artefact.png

Professor Ishmael Palin and an Unknown Artefact

Thargoid Sensors are approximately two meters long, with a "head" resting atop a segmented stalk supporting three columns of canister-like objects. They emit constant noises that can be heard in close proximity. If shot with weapons or rammed, the Sensor will break up into a number of Materials called Sensor Fragments. A Thargoid Sensor will inflict constant corrosive damage to random ship modules, similar to Toxic Waste, unless transported in a Corrosion Resistant Cargo Rack. If a Sensor is ejected from a cargo hold, it will degrade over time and disintegrate in about six minutes; the degradation can be halted and reversed by returning it to a cargo hold. Note that if a Thargoid Interceptor detects a ship is carrying a Thargoid Sensor, it will immediately become hostile.

It appears that the Thargoid Sensor performs some kind of scan of the closest celestial object or station and then emits a highly distorted Morse code which represents that body. A Sensor will also scan all ships within 1 kilometre, and point and align itself with Merope, a star system in the Pleiades Nebula. Recordings and decoding of Sensor data also show that it produces a basic line drawing of the ship it scans.

Locations

File:Ua-convoyA.jpg

This is the first kind of UA carrying convoy. The Type-9 will eventually jump out of the system

File:Ua-convoyB.jpg

This is the second version of the UA carrying convey. This one will hang around and conveniently drop the UA off for you to pick up

Thargoid Sensors were originally rare, but have become common in systems within a 150 ly radius of Merope. A Threat Level 4 Anomaly Signal Source or Non-Human Signal Source will usually contain a single Thargoid Sensor, though if a Thargoid Interceptor is present it will become hostile if the Sensor is retrieved.

Sensors can also be obtained from Threat Level 4 Military Convoys, where they are being transported by a Type-9 Heavy and can be stolen using Hatch Breakers. There are two convoy configurations: the first includes the Type-9, a Vulture, two Anacondas, and assorted other ships, and the second includes the Type-9 with an escort of four Anacondas. The Type-9 will usually charge its Frame Shift Drive and jump to another system to escape, so it is recommended to attack in a Wing, with one member focusing on the Type-9 while the others distract the escorts.

UA Bombing

"UA Bombing" is the colloquial term for the practice of selling Thargoid Sensors en masse at a specific station with a black market, with the goal of shutting that station down using the Sensors' technology-disrupting properties. Stations that are shutdown can still be docked with, but have most services disabled, similar to a Lockdown state. While the effects of UA Bombing are not permanent and will reverse over time even without intervention, the suspension of vital station services for several weeks can be inconvenient.

UA Bombing requires a significant quantity of Thargoid Sensors, up to 100, though the number can vary. The Sensors must all be sold at the same station within the same week for the UA Bombing to be successful. Once enough Sensors are sold, the station will experience "technical issues" and be "on the brink of closure". At this time, selling thousands of units of Meta-Alloys at that station before the next weekly server downtime period can counteract the Sensors and prevent the shutdown entirely. If no action is taken, then after the weekly server downtime the station will be forced to shutdown. If this occurs, the station will automatically begin repairing itself, but the process will take several weeks on its own. Meta-Alloys can be sold there to increase the pace of repairs and shorten the shutdown period.

Timeline

3301

13 March: The Unknown Artefact appeared for the first time as cargo on board the ship in the official 1.2 Wings trailer.

14 March: Strange chatter in a Federal Convoy in the Tanmark system reported on Reddit.

28 April: Dr. Arcanonn asks a simple question and starts the longest thread in Elite Dangerous Forums' history (now closed) which reached almost 10k posts and had to be redirected to a new thread.

28 April: Michael Brookes comes into the forum thread and says "Have you listened to them? Garbled Morse code has since been discovered to be in the 'Chittering' part of the sound; A /List of recordings/ (video and audio) has been compiled.

30 April: YouTube video posted by a user who had previously posted a UA hoax, so nobody believed it.

2 May: Minos discovers an entry in the Elite Dangerous Pilots Guide: Template:Quote

4 May: Wishblend finds the first UA in 109 Virginis, but unfortunately doesn't get it. Henceforth officially celebrated as UA Day across the galaxy, and the official title of UA Seeker was born. That afternoon, a further number were spotted but RedWizzard finally managed to actually grab one in Timocani.

4 May: [Player Submitted] GalNet reports baffled 'scientists' (players involved in the search and recovery UAs) having found an Unknown Artefact.

7 May: [Player Submitted] Dr. Arcanonn challenges President Halsey about UAs.

8 May: Two sightings of UA Convoys by CMDR Nilreb in Blatrimpe.

15 May: Another UA Convoy sighting, this time in HIP 102128.

17 May: [Player Submitted] Dr. Arcanonn accuses the Federation of a cover-up of the UAs.

18 May: Analysis of Soontill Relics finds no direct link to humans or Thargoids, further tests planned.

20 May: [Player Submitted] Tonnes of Biowaste dropped at 78 Ursae Majoris in protest against Federal cover-up of the UA, Dr. Arcanonn denies links with the action.

23 May: [Player Submitted] A weird message is broadcast from someone somewhere trying to say something negative about the 'scientists' efforts.

28/29 May: Conspiracy theories abound concerning the recent disappearance of Starship One and President Halsey.

22 June: CMDR MahdDogg publishes his panel discussion about Powerplay, in which CMDR Kerrash mentions that "about the whole UA thing, there is something behind that, but no one has figured it out yet" (29m 30s) and that "[Frontier] have put some really obvious [clues] in there and we don't want to put anything else in" for fear of spoiling what is to come in the future.

27 June: CMDR Kerrash talks about various things, including Thargoid conjecture ("They are coming"), and that the UA and confirms there is something to it, and that "if any people watching have got in with the UA thing and got halfway in and not looked into it anymore, please pleeease carry on looking, there is something there, there is an interesting secret there, please look, and the SAP 8 containers as well, there is something going on, don't give up!".

5 July: CMDR Kerrash comes into the new thread, asks "Has anybody cracked it yet?", when gently prodded follows up with "Frontier did not spend all this effort in making a wild goose chase, I would imagine quite the fanfare when the truth is uncovered. BTW Are we even sure it is Morse code?" and "Yes there is more to it, I will see if I can get FD to drop another hint".

6 July: CMDR Branch finds another UA.

10 July: [player submitted] UA Scientists claim a breakthrough that the UA broadcasts its closest celestial body (or station) in a form of Morse code.

14 July: CMDR Patau82 spots another convoy in Timocani, but unfortunately fails to grab it.

17 July: CMDR Kerrash briefly mentions the UA hunt again in his stream.

19 July: CMDR Branch finds another UA, the first known commander to retrieve two. This replaced one he had loaned to CMDR Zenith, which was lost to a player killer (not pirate).

23 July: CMDR Britain finds an Unknown Artefact.

25 July: CMDR Branch finds another UA, bringing the known possessed count back up to 3. This is also the third UA Branch has recovered.

28 July: CMDR Blain Crighton & his wing manage to obtain two Unknown Artefacts from the same convoy. One of theirs was accidentally crushed after being released in a station, the other was sold at Leonard Nimoy Memorial Station.

15 August: CMDR Boblit67 discovers the first free-floating Unknown Artefact in a signal source in HR 1185. This is also the first Unknown Artefact obtained by an Xbox One player of Elite Dangerous.

13 October: Canonn Interstellar Research Group Announces Breakthrough.

16 October: Technical Trouble in the Warkushanui System.

22 October: Technical Issues in Warkushanui Intensify.

23 October: Technical Trouble in 49 Arietis.

26 October: Federation Scientist Ishmael Palin Initiates Independent Research Program.

28 October: Station Services Suspended at Gurragchaa Gateway.

29 October: Technical Issues in 64 Arietis.

29 October: CIRG Researcher Addresses Artefact Developments.

2 November: Trouble in Varati.

16 November: Market Value of Unknown Artefacts Increases.

19 November: More Malfunction Reports.

25 November: Services Suspended at Gaiman Dock and Weyn Dock.

26 November: CIRG Sends Scientists to Bond Hub.

4 December: The Canonn Calls for Halt to Artefact Sales.

3302

4 January: Services Suspended at Gabriel Enterprise.

7 January: Personnel at Obsidian Orbital Confirm Starport Still Operational.

8 January: The Canonn Searching for Barnacles in the Pleiades.

14 January: Obsidian Orbital Continuing to Deteriorate.

15 January: Alien 'Barnacles' Discovered in the Pleiades.

15 January: Good News from Obsidian Orbital.

20 January: More Starports Fall Victim to Technological Plague.

21 January: Community Goal: Professor Ishmael Palin Issues Request for Meta-Alloys.

20 May: Malfunctioning Starports Restored with Meta-Alloys.

26 May: Galactic News: No Sign of Jaques Station.

1 July: Freelance Report: The Jaques Rescue Mission.

30 August: Prospects for Malfunctioning Starports Improving.

3303

19 January: Community Goal: Sirius Corp. to Address Unknown-Artefact Issue.

24 January: Starport Status Update.

1 December: Community Goal: Rogue Runners Appeal.

3304

1 February: Galactic Community Comes to Aid of Dove Enigma.

Videos

• File:Elite Dangerous - Epic History of The Unknown Artefact
• File:Elite Dangerous UA Features
• File:Elite Dangerous - Unknown Artifact

Gallery

• File:Ua-chat-text.png
• File:Ua-convoyB.jpg
• File:Ua-convoyA.jpg
• Unknown Artefact found on Merope 5 C
  Unknown Artefact found on Merope 5 C
• Unknown Artefact illuminated by an A-Type star in front of an Asp Explorer
  Unknown Artefact illuminated by an A-Type star in front of an Asp Explorer
• Unknown Artefact in HIP 14479
  Unknown Artefact in HIP 14479
• NPC chat at a Military Convoy transporting a UA
  NPC chat at a Military Convoy transporting a UA
• Thargoid Sensor Blueprint
  Thargoid Sensor Blueprint
• Unknown Artefact degradation over time. A UA can survive 6m40s before exploding.
  Unknown Artefact degradation over time. A UA can survive 6m40s before exploding.