When players use the scanner early in the game, there will be several types of materials it will be incapable of recognizing. To expand its capabilities, the player can upgrade the scanner through the Science skill tree. Use the following skills: Surveying: The final option in the first tier of the Science skill tree, this skill will increase the range and zoom distance of the hand scanner. Scanning: Upgrading this skill will allow for the detection of increasingly rare inorganic materials. Astrophysics: This skill will upgrade the ship's scanner, allowing for a wider range of information to be discovered.