Looking for a walkthrough of the Unearthed mission in Starfield? Embarking on the Starfield Unearthed mission, you’ll explore Earth’s moon, Luna, enter NASA, uncover experiments, gather an artifact, all before making a pivotal decision.
There’s a lot to the Unearthed mission that will test your combat, investigative skills, and problem-solving. It’d be advised then to make sure you’re clued up on the best weapons as well as ensuring you’ve worked hard on your XP and leveling up.
Starfield Unearthed walkthrough
To complete the Unearthed mission, you’ll want to complete the following objectives:
- Go to the Nova Galactic Research Station
- Investigate the research station
- Play the recording on the roof
- Go to NASA
- Find a way to enter the NASA Launch Tower
- Find information about NASA
- Find information about the Martian sample
- Find information about the Prototype Grav Drive
- Find information about the Grav Drive side effects
- Release the artifact
- Take the artifact
- Leave NASA
- Talk to the Emissary
We’ll delve deeper into each of the objectives in more detail below. Each one will pave the way to a crucial moment in Starfield’s main mission. So, keep reading!
1. Go to the Nova Galactic Research Station
Set course via the data menu to fast travel to the Nova Galactic Research Station. The base is found on Luna, Earth’s Moon, in the Sol System.
2. Investigate the research station
As you approach the Nova Galactic Research Station, there’s a couple of airlock entrances that you can use the Moon Base Key on to gain entry.
Once inside, head to the Nova Galactic Research terminal computer and read both files on the desktop; Voltaire and Project Prism Launch.
3. Play the recording on the roof
After reading the files, head outside and follow the blue locator onto the roof of the Research Station to listen to a recording between Lan Hsu and Victor Aiza. You will then be prompted to travel to NASA.
4. Go to NASA
Fast travel to the NASA Launch Tower located on Earth in the Sol System.
5. Find a way to enter NASA
As you approach the NASA Launch Tower, the blue locator will appear and you’ll need to climb up the broken walkway to reach it.
This can be achieved a number of ways, but utilizing the stairs, the crates, your Boost Pack, and balancing along a beam to gain access to another broken stairwell will eventually allow you to reach the elevator shaft.
As you attempt to activate the elevator button, you’ll be prompted to find power. For this, follow the yellow cable on the floor to a locked room. You will gain entry with the NASA Access Code you received earlier.
Inside the room there are Emergency Power Cells, retrieve them and place one in the generator. Once activated, return to the elevator. You can now press the button to take the elevator underground to the NASA Launch Facility.
6. Find information about NASA
Head over to the NASA Research Computer and read the logs, specifically Delivery from Mars.
7. Find information about the Martian sample
Follow the blue locator into a deep cave that will eventually lead out into a NASA exhibition. You’ll find an audio recording titled, Judith – Personal Recording on the counter.
8. Find information about the Prototype Grav Drive
Follow the blue locator deeper into the cave until you reach the Lab. Open the door and from here, you’ll need to climb the rock slope to the left, go through the door at the top, and follow the hallway to a locked door marked Secure Access.
This door will require power so go through the other door nearby that is open. There’s another door that requires Expert Lockpicking skill to enter, which you don’t have to enter to advance in this mission.
Through the accessible door, there is a power switch. Turn it on to activate the Secure Access door. Head down the stairs and turn left to pick up an Emergency Power Cell. Place it in the empty generator to power up the Secure Access door nearby. Before you head through this door, pick up another Emergency Power Cell from under the stairs. You’ll need it for later.
Follow the blue locator to a large room filled with robots and turrets determined to kill you. You can fight them all, or you can run and dodge them if you follow the next steps quickly.
You may notice a pattern here, but there’s another large locked gate that requires power. Run round to the right, following the yellow cable on the floor, until you reach a power switch. Turn it on and follow the cable back to the gate that you can now activate to open and head through.
Head down until you reach another NASA Research Computer. Read the logs until you’re prompted with your next objective.
9. Find information about the Grav Drive side effects
Follow the blue locator until you reach a broken stairwell area with zero-gravity. Float down to the doorway titled B2 and float through the hallway until you reach an office with a body lying on the floor.
This body is of Victor Aiza who you have heard on the previous recordings. You can loot his body, access the computer, and pick up the NASA Maintenance Key from the desk.
The computer will reveal more information about the Grav Drive and prompt the next objective.
10. Release the artifact
There’s a big button on the right of the desk. Press it to release the artifact and return the whole area back to normal gravity.
11. Take the artifact
Follow the blue locator through a door that will now open with your NASA Maintenance Key. Open the door at the bottom and turn right to access the room with the artifact in it. Ascend the stairs up to the chamber it’s being held in and interact to grab artifact Psi.
12. Leave NASA
Even though it took a lot of hard work to reach this point, it’s not going to be as easy as just fast traveling out of NASA or walking back the way you came.
As soon as you grab the artifact, the Emissary will inform you that the Starborn have found you and are hunting you down.
You can choose to fight the lvl 30 Starborn or just run away. But, fair warning, when you reach a certain point you will need an Emergency Power Cell spare to use on another locked door. Follow the yellow cables along the floor to place the power cell and go back to the door to exit.
Follow the blue locator out of the NASA Launch Facility until you return to where you started on the scaffolding on the NASA Launch Tower.
13. Talk to the Emissary
The Emissary and the Hunter will be waiting outside to speak to you. They’ll both discuss what they think should be done with the artifacts and then you’ll be given a choice.
You can:
- Side with the Emissary
- Side with the Hunter
- Side with neither
Ultimately, it’s up to you what you decide to do. The choice comes down to who will fight alongside you or against you in one of Starfield’s final missions, Revelation. If you side with the Emissary, they’ll fight alongside you against the Hunter. Side with the Hunter, fight the Emissary together. But, if you choose to side with neither, they’ll both fight against you, which may prove rather difficult depending on your level. For more details, check out our dedicated guide on whether to choose Emissary or Hunter in Starfield.
Making your choice marks the end of the Unearthed mission. You’ll also need to make sure you’ve completed Final Glimpses to wrap it up completely.
That’s the end of the Unearthed mission, which has provided some major hints of what’s to come. Knowing now that there’s a fight ahead, it’s a great time to make sure you’re leveled up, equipped with the best weapons and have spent all your skill points wisely.
