You’ve probably been there. You are sweating in your real-life chair while your character stands in the middle of Starport Nuka, staring at that glowing glass case. Inside is the Quantum X-01 Power Armor, easily the prettiest, most obnoxious suit of armor in all of Fallout 4. You’ve scoured the Galactic Zone. You’ve killed enough Protectrons to fill a scrapyard. But the terminal says you’re still missing one.
Just one.
It’s frustrating. It’s also exactly how Bethesda intended the Star Control quest to go. Tracking down every single star core in Fallout 4 isn’t just a scavenger hunt; it’s a test of whether you’re willing to actually finish the DLC’s main storyline or if you’re just trying to cheesily grab the best loot and bail.
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The 35th Core Mystery
Most players hit a wall at 34 cores. You check the terminal, and it tells you everything in the Galactic Zone is accounted for. You’ve visited the Junkyard, the Nuka-Cade, and that one random market stall. So where is it?
Honestly, the "missing" core is almost always the one on the top level of Starport Nuka. To get there, you need to use the elevator. The problem? That elevator has no power. No matter how many times you mash the button, nothing happens.
You cannot get the 35th star core until you restore power to Nuka-World. This is the part where players realize they have to make a choice. You either play through the "Home Sweet Home" questline (which means raiding the Commonwealth and making Preston Garvey hate your guts) or you go the "Open Season" route and murder every raider in the park.
Only after the power plant is humming again will that elevator work.
Where the Rest Are Hiding
If you aren't at 34 yet, you’ve likely missed a few of the "external" cores. People forget that while most are in the Galactic Zone, five are scattered across the rest of the map.
- Nuka-Town Market: Look for the vendor tables. One is just sitting there.
- Nuka-Cade: Check the employee-only maintenance room in the back.
- The Junkyard: There’s a barn with a UFO-themed ride. Head upstairs to the office.
- Dry Rock Gulch: There’s one near a corpse by the collapsed roller coaster.
- World of Refreshment: This one is a nightmare because of the Mirelurks, but it’s near some Gunner corpses by the Quantum mixing vats.
The Junkyard Respawn "Glitch"
Here is something most "official" guides don't mention: you can actually get 35 cores without finishing the main quest. It’s a bit of a quirk in the game's cell-reset logic.
The star core at the Nuka-World Junkyard has a weird habit of respawning. If you grab it, leave the area, and wait for a long time (usually about 7 to 10 in-game days), or sometimes after certain quest stages trigger, the core reappears in the same spot.
I've seen people farm this to get the Quantum armor way earlier than they were supposed to. Is it "fair"? Maybe not. But if you’re doing a survival run and absolutely need that AP refresh bonus from the armor to stay alive, you do what you have to do.
Breakdowns by Interior Zone
Each "dungeon" in the Galactic Zone has a set number. If your terminal says a zone is "Cleared," stop looking there. You're wasting time.
Nuka Galaxy (7 cores)
This is the big one. Most are along the ride tracks or in the control rooms. There’s one right at the end of the ride where you disembark. Don't forget the tiny office hidden behind the boarding area.
Vault-Tec: Among the Stars (6 cores)
This place is a maze of radiation and annoying "living of the future" displays. You’ll find most of these in the "employee only" corridors behind the scenes. One is tucked away in a nursery-themed room.
RobCo Battlezone (6 cores)
You’ll have to survive several rounds of sentry bots and heavy hitters here. Two are in the control room overlooking the arena, and two are actually in the arena itself. Check the gift shop too.
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Starlight Interstellar Theater (4 cores)
Simplest one of the bunch. One is in the kitchen/pantry area, one is in the men’s restroom (classy), one is in the projection booth, and the last is behind the bar where the Sentry Bot bartender used to hang out.
Is the Quantum X-01 Even Worth It?
The short answer is yes.
The long answer is that by the time you actually get 35 cores legally, you’re probably already level 50+ and a literal god of the wasteland. But the Quantum X-01 comes pre-upgraded to Mk V. That saves you a massive amount of Aluminum and Science! perks.
The set bonus is the real prize: it increases your Action Point (AP) refresh speed. If you use VATS or a Jetpack, it’s a game-changer. It makes the standard X-01 look like a rusty bucket.
Actionable Next Steps
If you are stuck at 34 cores right now, stop looking in the grass. Check your map. If the Nuka-World Power Plant isn't a fast-travel point you've cleared yet, you can't finish the collection.
- Check the Starport Terminal: Identify exactly which zone is missing a core.
- Verify the External Five: Cross-reference the Junkyard, Nuka-Cade, Market, Bottling Plant, and Dry Rock Gulch.
- Trigger the Power: If you're at 34, go to the Power Plant. If you don't want to be a Raider, start the "Open Season" quest by talking to Mackenzie in the Nuka-Town Market.
- The Jetpack Shortcut: Some players claim you can Jetpack to the very top of Starport Nuka from the outside to grab the 35th core without power. It’s incredibly difficult and requires a lot of AP items, but it's technically possible if you're stubborn enough.
Go get that power turned on. That suit of armor isn't doing any good sitting behind glass.