Research progression in Sol One is tied to what you bring back from exploring Mars. For players asking “Sol One how to unlock the tech tree,” the developer's documented progression is to collect samples and study them to open new research. That matters because the June demo's apparently inactive research table is not evidence that the announced game's technology progression is permanently unavailable.
Follow the documented sample-to-study progression
The October developer update explains that samples collected in the world can be studied to unlock research. The earlier June plan identifies a research-table technology tree and science tools for collecting samples and data points.
The supported progression is therefore:
- Obtain samples through the game's exploration and science systems.
- Study the collected samples as part of research.
- Use the research progression to access new technology.
These steps explain the stated relationship between exploration and technology. They do not establish a specific sample-collection key, a table insertion slot, an unlock button, or a complete node-by-node route. Use the actual controls and requirements displayed in your build for those operations.
Understand what research contributes to your base
The official Sol One Steam description presents the technology tree as part of moving from basic survival toward a more capable base. It sits alongside mining, refining resources, and fabricating finished components.
That means research belongs in the wider progression rather than replacing production. An announced technology system and a list of mineable resources do not, by themselves, establish the recipe or prerequisite for a particular advanced machine.
Before planning around a desired unlock, check its actual requirements in the version you are playing. The obtained material does not justify a universal research order, exact science-point costs, or claims that one specific node is the best first purchase.
Know why the June demo table seemed inactive
In the retrieved June player experience, the narrator cannot find a useful action at the research table. They consider whether power might be involved, but do not establish a working research procedure.
The developer's June 22 announcement explains that some unfinished systems had been disabled during Next Fest. That same post lists the first research-table tech tree and science tools among the Early Access plans. The October update then describes studying collected samples to unlock research.
Those dated sources provide important context: an inactive table in a limited early demo is different from a confirmed fault in the later build. Do not spend time following an invented power workaround for a feature the demo may not have exposed.
Keep exploration goals and future additions distinct
The developer describes gathering samples and world data, and identifies crashed spacecraft as places associated with resources and science. Those are supported directions for understanding how exploration contributes to research.
They do not supply fixed sample coordinates, a scanner-detection mode, or a verified salvage interaction. Similarly, the store describes additional technology nodes as part of later development; it does not provide a complete final tree.
As checked November 12, 2026, Steam listed November 13 as the planned Early Access date. This guide explains the documented system without claiming to have personally tested the unreleased launch interface.
FAQ
What is the documented way to unlock research?
The developer says collected samples can be studied to unlock new research. The June plan also identifies a research-table technology tree and science tools.
Why did the research table do nothing in the June demo?
The player experience found no working research interaction, and the developer explained that unfinished systems had been disabled during Next Fest. That context does not establish a current launch-version bug.
Which technology should I unlock first?
The obtained material does not establish a complete node list, costs, or a tested priority order. Check the actual prerequisites and your current base's needs.
Does the scanner automatically find science samples?
No verified scanner procedure is established here. The June narrator's ideas about possible scanner functions should not be treated as implemented controls.