500 systems logged. 154 First Discoveries.

My trajectory has bisected the traditional routes to some of the nearby nebulae. Whenever I hit runs of discovered systems I am certain to find the I am crossing the straight route between Matet and whatever the nearby splash of color is, even here 800 ly below the center of the accretion disk. I have been satisfied with my rate of original discoveries for this excursion for now but I am hungry for more accurate survey data. I have found new heat maps, and I think after this excursion I may seek more advanced jump ranges so I can escape the near population areas.

It seems if I can get 5-7k lightyears deosil or widdershins of the bubble then I can pursue my survey of unexplored systems in earnest.

Addendum: I have discovered that I am about 900 ly directly below the deep space outpost Iris Vacations. This is a prime opportunity to lock in my exploration data to the cartographers and will be making a detour. I have avoided nebulae due to the fact that they are well mapped, but this is a great convenience and I am excited to get a close view of the Iris Nebula for the first time.

440 systems, 116 systems discovered. Approximately 10% of this excursion's goal. 0.1% goal for this year. It seems I can get about 100 discovered systems in a week of concerted effort. My medium term goals may be too ambitious and require calibration. I am increasing in my efficiency though, so now is not the time to make such calculations.

I'm now approaching 1000 ly from the bubble. I have been somewhat aimless for the last 100 or so systems and it has panned out for a nice 60 or so undiscovered systems.

I have found some new data on the concentration of explored systems. I do not think I will greatly change my strategy for this expedition. The time I spend exploring my current targets will allow me to better plan my next expedition. I am going to aim to return to civilization with perhaps 1000 systems. This may fund a new round of upgrading to my jump capacity, though it appears that most worthwhile improvements to my capability will require some dedicated networking with engineers and tech brokers, as well as some unfortunate planet side labor. I do not relish the idea of being gravity bound again.

The amount of untapped wealth so far from civilization is striking. I do not imagine miners wish to travel so far from their buyers when so much is available at home, nor scavengers or warriors. This may only be my ignorance of these professions though. The thought of taking a carrier out here into the deep though, establishing new civilization far from the strife of the old Empire and expanding our bounds as a people is like a siren call. Even taking on the smallest role in such an endeavor is more that I think I will ever be ready for, and that fact, that I have so much room to grow out here beyond anything I will ever be able to fill, is amazing.

I have reached a system approximately 800 ly from the bubble. My last survey of my statistics suggests I should have reached approximately 300 systems now and my own tracking suggests 5 discovered systems.

My mission is to explore 100 thousand systems and hopefully expand the number of explored systems by approximately 50 thousand.

Less than 1% of the galaxy is explored. It's taken a long time with many explorers. I hope to see it change during my career though.