R&D Department Level 53 is a late station mission in Star Trek Fleet Command with one objective: upgrade the R&D Department to level 53. It is recommended for level 53 and needs only warp 1 to start and finish, so the building upgrade is the whole task. The reward is 800 Ultra Recruit Tokens, and finishing it unlocks Defense Technologies Level 54.
R&D Department Level 53 objectives
There is one objective and no choice split:
- Upgrade to R&D Department Level 53.
No system, hostile or donation is part of the mission. It completes when the R&D Department reaches level 53.
Where and what warp
Warp 1 to start and warp 1 to complete, with no pickup system. The mission happens entirely on your station.
The recommended level is 53, which matches the building level. The real gate is the upgrade and the buildings it depends on.
R&D Department Level 53 rewards
| Reward | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ultra Recruit Token | 800 |
Completing the mission also unlocks the next station mission, Defense Technologies Level 54.
What R&D Department 53 asks for
The building data lists these requirements and costs for R&D Department level 53:
| Requirement | Listed value |
|---|---|
| Buildings | Operations 53, Academy 53, Dilithium Vault 53 |
| Parsteel | 2.27T |
| Dilithium | 3.48B |
| 5★ Common Refined Gas | 87,700 |
| 5★ Uncommon Refined Gas | 51,000 |
Level 53 adds a Dilithium Vault requirement that levels 52 and 54 do not have; both of those need only Operations and Academy at the matching level. Check the vault before you plan this upgrade.
Costs climb steeply around this level. Level 52 lists 1.35T Parsteel and 1.99B Dilithium, while level 54 lists 3.41T Parsteel and 5.22B Dilithium and adds 11,100 5★ Rare Refined Gas to the bill.
The game describes the R&D Department as the research lab where new ships, buildings and supporting technologies are unlocked.
How it compares with other R&D missions
| Mission | Recommended level | Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| R&D Department Level 49 | 1 listed | 160 100K Dilithium Tokens, 60 8 Hour Speed Ups |
| R&D Department Level 50 | 1 listed | 230 100K Dilithium Tokens, 60 8 Hour Speed Ups |
| R&D Department Level 51 | 51 | 800 Ultra Recruit Tokens |
| R&D Department Level 53 | 53 | 800 Ultra Recruit Tokens |
| R&D Department Level 57 | 57 | 800 Ultra Recruit Tokens |
Up to level 50 the R&D missions pay Dilithium Tokens and 8 Hour Speed Ups. From level 51 on, the reward switches to a flat 800 Ultra Recruit Tokens, and the recommended level starts matching the building level. Level 59 pays the same 800 tokens.
Tips
Save the Ultra Recruit Tokens across several of these missions. At 800 per mission, a few R&D upgrades build a large stack for officer recruitment.
Plan the Dilithium Vault early, since it is the one requirement that sets level 53 apart from its neighbours. Other missions sorted by level are on the mission guide.
