COSMOS

What is it?

So you have played EVE Online for a while and you ask “what is this whole COSMOS thing?” – rest assured – the answers are coming. No, COSMOS is not just the former name of EVE Gate. COSMOS is a long forgotten PVE content, which was supposed to bring the ability to indulge in the storyline of New Eden. There is some similarity between COSMOS and storyline missions, but there are also differences. If you have ever run missions in EVE (I bet you tried that, at least for a while) you most likely know, that every 15 missions you get a Storyline mission offer, which gives you a standing bonus to the whole faction when completed (not just to a single corporation, like normal missions do). There goes the similarities to COSMOS, because COSMOS missions always give you faction standing increase, besides normal corporation stand bonus. What is different however, is the availability of COSMOS missions. Everyone who meets the standing requirement of a COSMOS agent can attempt doing these missions.

Each faction has either high sec or both high and low sec COSMOS constellation, where some agents are located in space and offer you COSMOS missions. Most of these missions lead you to publicly available dungeons (deadspace pockets), some of which have hull restrictions. There are also 8 null-sec COSMOS contellations, which provide gas clouds required for booster production.

Amarr		Ancients:
high-sec	Araz	Takmahl
low-sec	Kenobanala
Caldari
high-sec	Okkelen	Talocan
Gallente
high-sec	Algintal	Yan Jung
Minmatar
high-sec	Ani	Sleeper
low-sec	Audesder

Two mini professions are bound to COSMOS (they were introduced into the game at the same time):

Hacking
Archaeology

They are necessary to obtain some of the items required to complete missions.

Rewards

Is it worth running COSMOS missions? Yes, you will gain significant increase to faction standings, which in turn enables you to access many other agents, including level 4 and level 5. Many missions also give 3x run BPCs for “Storyline” equipment. These BPCs often require Encryption Methods or Technology to build. Storyline items have lower fitting requirements than their tech 1 and tech 2 counterparts.

As you can see, Encryption Methods and hacking were in the game long before invention, and had quite different use. Also please mind, that Sleeper Technology is only useful for building COSMOS BPCs and is not required for Tech III production.

Finally, some COSMOS deadspaces have one of the most beautiful visuals in all New Eden. Unfortunately the GFX has been broken after one of the latest expansions, so the backgrounds are not animated anymore (bug?).