Search and Rescue

Search and Rescue is a system in Mass Effect 3 that replaces the Planet Scanning mini-game from Mass Effect 2. The Normandy SR-2 is equipped with a new and improved scanning pulse that can detect objects of interest. This can be used to uncover war assets, artifacts, intel, and fuel as the player flies around a new system. The pulse is used to locate points of interest throughout the systems you scan and can only scan a small portion at a time so multiple scans are required to cover an entire system. This also included empty space between the planets as there might be wreckage floating around with something valuable inside.

Mechanics
The scanning itself is done by a push of a button wherein a pulse originates out from the ship for a short distance revealing anything of interest within it. Once a point of interest is found, be it something of interest on a planet or a wreck in space, it shows up with a marker that allows the player to fly to it. When flying over a wreck, the "Investigate" button lights up allowing the player to interact with it while a planet required you to go into orbit around it and use the same type of scanning as Mass effect 2 Planet Scanning to locate a specific point of interest. To investigate it just as in the previous game requires a probe launch for planets which makes text appears in the right lower corner telling the player what he found and saved/salvaged.

Reaper detection
Every scanning sweep done in a system occupied by the reapers fills a small meter that indicates the reapers' growing awareness of the player's location. This bar fills faster or slower depending on how many entry points to the system the reapers have, and how close to them the player is when the Scanner is used. Once the meter fills, all reapers occupying the system enter it, and go after the Normandy forcing the player to flee the system or suffer death. The reaper alarm-meter is reset after each mission, though even if the alarm has been sounded a quick player can quickly re-enter, do multiple scans in the system and possibly investigate some hits without being caught. The location of your ship when re-entering an alarmed system depends on the way your ship faces before entering. For example if you wanted to enter on the bottom right quadrant have the nose of your ship face the top left quadrant.

Detection Types
The type found on planet is only revealed once a probe has been launched at it.

Planet Scanning Guide
This table contains the locations of various wreck, war asset, upgrade, credit or quest specific item, listed by galaxy and planet.