How to Craft Carbon Nanotubes: Materials and Crafting Guide

9 September 2026 | 16

Crafting Carbon Nanotubes is a fundamental step for upgrading technology and building key equipment early in No Man's Sky. This essential crafting component is required for various critical technologies, including the Analysis Visor, Boltcaster, and Advanced Mining Laser. Knowing how to quickly gather the required raw materials and assemble them will make your interstellar journey much smoother.

Gathering the Necessary Raw Materials

To craft Carbon Nanotubes, you primarily need standard Carbon, which is abundant on almost every planet. You can easily harvest Carbon by using your Mining Beam on flora, trees, and small plants around your landing site. Collecting around 50 units of Carbon will give you enough material to create your first batch.

Step-by-Step Crafting Process in Your Inventory

Crafting this item does not require a Portable Refiner or specialized station, as it is made directly in your inventory. Open your Exosuit inventory and hover over an empty inventory slot to bring up the crafting pop-up menu. Select Carbon Nanotubes from the crafting list, which will consume 50 Carbon and instantly add the item to your inventory.

Essential Blueprints and Technology Uses

Carbon Nanotubes serve as a core ingredient in numerous early-game suit upgrades, weapon systems, and base modules. They are required to construct the Analysis Visor, which allows you to scan planetary flora, fauna, and mineral deposits for units. Additionally, you will need them when assembling the Boltcaster to defend against hostiles or the Base Teleport Module for rapid transport.

Tips for Efficient Material Management

Since Carbon Nanotubes are constantly needed for repairing and building gear, keeping a spare stack in your inventory is recommended. You can also purchase them directly from Galactic Trade Terminals at space stations if you prefer to save your harvested raw materials. Managing your crafting supplies early on will ensure you never get stranded without functional equipment.