You’re wandering through the irradiated wreckage of the Commonwealth, minding your own business, when you stumble upon a bunch of people wearing shiny pajamas who think they’re going to space. It sounds like a bad joke. Honestly, the Fallout 4 Trip to the Stars quest is one of those moments where Bethesda reminds us that the apocalypse isn't just about gritty survival and super mutants; it’s also about the bizarre delusions people cling to when the world ends.
If you've got the Nuka-World DLC installed, you’ve likely bumped into the Hubologists. They’re a direct parody of certain real-world fringe movements, and their "mission" is as hilarious as it is potentially lethal. You find them at the Hubologist's Camp, just west of the Nuka-World spaceport. They’re led by a guy named Dara Hubbell. She’s intense. She’s convinced that an alien spacecraft—which looks suspiciously like a broken amusement park ride—is their ticket to the stars.
It’s easy to write them off. Most players do. But if you actually stick around and help them, you’re in for one of the most mechanically unique and morally flexible side quests in the entire game.
Finding the Hubologists and Starting the Fallout 4 Trip to the Stars
Most people find this quest by accident while trying to clear out the Galactic Zone. You'll see a group of people in mismatched outfits that look like 1950s sci-fi props. Talk to Dara. She’ll give you a whole spiel about "alignment" and "Aethels." Basically, they believe humans are infected with alien spirits and the only way to be "cleansed" is to hop on a spaceship.
The first thing she asks for is five spacesuits. You can find these inside the Vault-Tec: Among the Stars attraction. It’s crawling with robots, so bring some pulse grenades. Once you hand those over, the real fun—or the real headache—begins.
Dara isn’t just looking for clothes; she wants to move her entire congregation to a nearby scrapyard. This is where the quest gets tedious if you aren’t prepared. You have to escort a group of NPCs who have the survival instincts of a suicidal lemming. They’ll stop to shoot at every bloatfly and radrat along the way. It’s annoying. You'll want a high-damage weapon to clear the path before they even realize there’s a threat.
👉 See also: Little Big Planet Still Feels Like a Fever Dream 18 Years Later
The Scrapyard Battle and the UFO
Once you reach the scrapyard, you’re met with a massive sentry bot. It’s a tough fight if you’re low level. After the scrap metal settles, Dara points to the "spaceship." It’s an old spinning ride called the Star Control.
To get this thing "flight-ready," you need two things: a power distributor and some fusion cores.
Now, here is where the Fallout 4 Trip to the Stars quest branches, and it’s the part most people mess up on their first playthrough. You have a choice in how you repair the ride. This choice determines whether the Hubologists live to see another day or get turned into human-sized smoothies.
The Power Distributor Dilemma
You’ll find the distributor nearby in a small shack. When you go to install it, the game gives you an option. You can put in three fusion cores, or you can put in four.
- Three Fusion Cores: This is the "safe" route. The ride spins, the Hubologists get dizzy, and they believe they’ve somehow communicated with the stars. Dara stays happy, and you get your rewards.
- Four Fusion Cores: This is the "oops" route. Adding that fourth core provides too much power. The ride spins significantly faster. Like, way too fast.
If you choose the fourth core, the Hubologists' heads literally explode from the centrifugal force. It’s dark. It’s violent. It’s peak Fallout. If you’re playing a "good" character, you’ll probably feel terrible. If you’re playing a raider or just someone who hates cults, it’s a darkly comedic ending to a strange questline.
✨ Don't miss: Why the 20 Questions Card Game Still Wins in a World of Screens
Why the Hubologist Rewards Actually Matter
Let’s talk loot. Usually, these weird side quests give you a handful of caps and a pat on the head. This one is different.
If you help them without killing them, Dara gives you the Hub's Alien Blaster. If you already have the standard Alien Blaster from the crashed UFO encounter in the Commonwealth, this might seem redundant. However, this version is modified. It’s one of the few ways to get a weapon that uses AB rounds, though you can later mod it to use Fusion Cells if you don't mind the slight damage drop.
More importantly, you get "Alignments." By paying the Hubologists, you can increase your intelligence temporarily. If you reach the highest level of alignment, you get a massive boost. It’s one of the best ways to farm XP in the late game. Pop an alignment, go on a killing spree in a high-level area, and watch your levels climb.
Common Misconceptions About the Quest
A lot of players think you can actually fix the ship. You can't.
No matter what you do, that ride is never going to leave the ground. The Hubologists are fundamentally wrong about their situation. Some fans have theorized that if you have a high enough Luck or Intelligence, a secret ending triggers. That’s a myth. The "success" state is simply them sitting in a broken ride, vibrating intensely, while you walk away with their unique pistol.
🔗 Read more: FC 26 Web App: How to Master the Market Before the Game Even Launches
Another thing people miss: the connection to Fallout 2. The Hubologists aren't new. They were a major faction in San Francisco back in the older games. Their appearance in Nuka-World is a massive "easter egg" for long-time fans. It shows how far this cult has spread across the wasteland, despite their obvious lack of scientific understanding.
Tips for a Smooth Flight
If you're planning to tackle this today, keep a few things in mind. First, don't bring a companion who hates "evil" acts if you plan on using the fourth fusion core. Piper and Nick Valentine will not be amused by the sudden decapitation of a dozen cultists.
Second, check the shed near the ride for the "Junkyard Journal." It adds a lot of flavor text to the area and explains why the ride was even there in the first place.
Lastly, if you want the Alien Blaster but also want to see the "explosive" ending, save your game. Witness the carnage, reload, and then give them the three cores. You get the best of both worlds—the gear and the memory of the most ridiculous mistake you could make in Nuka-World.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Playthrough:
- Stockpile Fusion Cores: Don't show up empty-handed. You need at least three (or four for the "bad" ending) to finish the quest.
- Clear the Path: Before talking to Dara to start the trek to the scrapyard, walk the path yourself and kill the Sentry Bot and any lingering ghouls. It saves you from the headache of NPC pathfinding bugs.
- Grab the Suits Early: Since you’ll likely visit the Vault-Tec attraction anyway, grab the five spacesuits before you even talk to the Hubologists to save a trip.
- Check Your Perks: If you have the Robotics Expert perk, the Sentry Bot at the scrapyard becomes a total non-issue. You can just shut it down or turn it against the local wildlife.
The quest isn't just a distraction. It's a reminder that even 200 years after the bombs, people are still looking for an escape, even if that escape is a rickety carnival ride powered by stolen batteries.