Upgrade R&D Department to Level 9 is an early station mission in Star Trek Fleet Command with one objective: raise the R&D Department to level 9. It starts and finishes at warp 1, and the game lists a recommended level of 1, so the upgrade is the whole task. The reward is 340 Tritanium and five 1 Minute Repair Speed Ups. The upgrade itself costs only Parsteel, so the Tritanium is a clean gain for an upgrade you need anyway.
Upgrade R&D Department to Level 9 objectives
The story line reads: The R&D Department unlocks additional upgrades for the Shipyard and Ships. There is one objective and no choice split:
- Upgrade R&D Department to Level 9.
No system, no fight and no donation. The mission completes once the R&D Department reaches level 9.
Where and what warp
Warp 1 to start, warp 1 to complete, and no pickup system. Everything happens on your station.
The recommended level is listed as 1. The R&D 9 upgrade and its requirements are what decide when you finish.
Upgrade R&D Department to Level 9 rewards
| Reward | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tritanium | 340 |
| 1 Minute Repair Speed Up | 5 |
Completing it unlocks the next station mission, Upgrade Drydock B: Level 7.
What R&D 9 needs
Current building data lists the early R&D levels like this:
| Level | Cost | Build time | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 3,000 Parsteel | 1h 40m | Operations 8, Academy 8 |
| 9 | 4,500 Parsteel | 2h 30m | Operations 9, Academy 9, Tritanium Warehouse 9 |
| 10 | 7,000 Parsteel | 2h 45m | Operations 10, Academy 10, Dilithium Generator A 5 |
Level 9 is the step that adds Tritanium Warehouse 9 to the usual Operations and Academy requirements. The R&D Department also raises research speed as it levels, and the bonus is listed at 6% at level 5 and 14% at level 10.
How level 9 compares with nearby R&D missions
| Mission | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Upgrade R&D Department to Level 5 | 110 Tritanium, 1 1 Minute Repair Speed Up |
| Upgrade R&D Department to Level 9 | 340 Tritanium, 5 1 Minute Repair Speed Up |
| Upgrade R&D Department to Level 11 | 875 Tritanium, 7 1 Minute Repair Speed Up |
| Upgrade R&D Department to Level 12 | 750 Tritanium, 2 3 Minute Repair Speed Up |
| Upgrade R&D Department to Level 13 | 2,000 Tritanium, 3 3 Minute Repair Speed Up |
The Tritanium generally climbs through these levels, though level 12 pays slightly less than level 11 before level 13 more than doubles it.
Tips
Check the Tritanium Warehouse before you plan R&D 9. It has to be at level 9, which is easy to miss next to Operations and Academy.
Use the Tritanium on the next few station missions. Drydock B 7, the mission that follows, pays another 1,600 Tritanium. Other missions sorted by level are on the mission guide.
