Research (Mechanic)

Research is the main mechanic in Astroneer to obtain Bytes, which are used to unlock the schematics for most Items in the game. To obtain bytes, players must find either Research Samples or Research Items, consuming the former on the spot, or placing either into a Research Chamber. The Research Chamber will then produce bytes, with each sample and item giving different amounts determined by appearance and location found.

Tips for Researching

 * Players can gain an initial amount of bytes at the start of the game by consuming Research Samples found on various plants and rocks on all the planets, at every layer.
 * At the start of the game, the Research Chamber is already unlocked, allowing players to quickly set up a small research station to begin gathering more bytes.
 * Research Items should be used in Research Chambers first, as they tend to give more bytes than samples.
 * Research Samples give significantly more bytes when researched in a Research Chamber, rather than just by scanning them. This is most useful early in the game, or later in the game when paired with Automation.
 * Once the player has a steady stream of bytes from Research Items, consuming samples will save time and space, as items from more difficult planets give more bytes than samples.
 * The Research Catalog is where players go to spend their bytes on schematics, opened with on PC/View on XBox/  Touch Pad on PS4.

Trivia
Research has gone through many changes over the many patches the game has had. In the pre-alpha initial release, research items were pods that, when placed into a chamber, would open and automatically unlock a schematic. It has changed a few times since then, with Patch 0.5.0 being a major overhaul of the system, introducing bytes and the research catalog, with research samples being added in Patch 0.9.0, then called harvestables.