How to get the Atlas Pass in No Man's Sky, including v1, v2 and v3

The No Man's Sky Atlas Pass is something that you’re going to get acquainted with via the main narrative in the game, though there are various tiers of it that are entirely optional for you to pick up. You’re going to need to go hunting for other iterations of the Pass if you’re wanting to maximise your access to loot in No Man's Sky and to make a name for yourself as a savvy Traveller. Here are our tips on how to get your mitts on the variants of the No Man's Sky Atlas Pass.

How to get the No Man's Sky Atlas Pass v1

The No Man's Sky Atlas Pass v1 is the easiest of all the variants to get, and most players will acquire it on the way through the main story missions. You actually get it from an alien Gek named Polo, who lives on the Space Anomaly that you'll meet at various points through your intergalactic journey.

If you're starting your No Man's Sky journey from the very beginning, you'll first encounter the Space Anomaly in your third galaxy - aka after two warp jumps. When you see the Space Anomaly, head inside and speak to Polo. He'll give you a quest to complete a Milestone, as well as a reward on the spot, just for speaking to him. But more importantly, once you've completed the quest - which varies from player to player - return to him, and he'll tell you to come back in two hours (yes, real world hours). When you've done that, you can choose a technology blueprint for your Starship, Exosuit or Multi-Tool, and you should get the Atlas Pass as your additional reward.

From our own experiences and checking in with other players, it sometimes doesn't arrive with the first quest Polo gives you, but be patient, carry on doing errands for him and you'll almost definitely get it for the second quest reward.

In order to build the Atlas Pass you'll need to get 80 copper and a microprocessor.

How to get the No Man's Sky Atlas Pass v2 and v3

Now comes the tricky part, getting the No Man's Sky Atlas Pass v2 and v3, because we can't have any doors coming between us and our loot, can we fellow space explorers? Unfortunately, getting these higher versions of the Atlas Pass are a lot trickier than the v1.

Ever since the No Man's Sky Next update arrived, the Atlas Pass v2 has become incredibly rare, with some suggesting that it's been ditched in favour of just skipping straight to the No Man's Sky Atlas Pass v3. This will open all doors, so is actually a really good thing for players. However, that unfortunately does not make it any easier to find.

We've had no luck as yet finding the Atlas Pass v2 or v3, but according to the No Man's Sky Reddit they are available from Manufacturing Facilities that you can find on planets. The easiest way to find these facilities is to build a Signal Booster and scan for them. What you need to do is as follows, either:

1) Locate Nearby Structures - this free to use scan version just scans the local area and pings any structures close to you, but you won't be able to pick what it scans for. It's not an exact science by any means, but it will highlight anything useful nearby. You might just need to do it a few times before a Manufacturing Facility pops up.

No Man's Sky Signal Booster scanning secure frequencies

2) Input Data - This one costs one Navigation Data, but it does allow you to narrow your search. Select [Scan Secure Frequencies] inside the Input Data menu, and then you'll be shown the location of the nearest Manufacturing Facility or Supply depot.

A Manufacturing Facility in No Man's Sky

I will add that Manufacturing Facilities are more likely to be located on planets with a high Sentinel level, especially if they're frenzied because then you know that they're protecting something. Hopefully that something is your No Man's Sky Atlas Pass v2 or V3.

You'll need to blast through the Manufacturing Facility's door, avoid the sentinels - or destroy them if you're feeling plucky - and then interact with the console inside. Selecting the correct answer to its question, or command, will grant you a blueprint for some rare technology, and hopefully that'll be your Atlas Pass. However, there are plenty of rare blueprints to be discovered so finding something else isn't the end of the world entirely.