Yes. Finding nothing is a valid expedition outcome. The default weight of the Nothing event is 10, or about 8.93% with the built-in total weight of 112.
How does this expedition outcome work?
This result means the fleet receives no reward in resources, ships, Dark Matter or an item. It is not a settlement error or evidence that the expedition system failed.
What are the default parameters?
Nothing is selected from the same weighted event table as all other outcomes. Increasing ship count can affect the size of some rewards, but it does not remove the Nothing category.
What determines the result?
When judging expedition profitability, include trips that return no reward. Several weak results in a row can occur randomly even with a valid and well-designed fleet.
How should you use this in practice?
Default event weights are only the built-in starting configuration. An administrator can change them, so the real frequency in your universe can differ from percentages calculated from the default total weight of 112.
What should you watch out for?
Do not treat a single expedition as a guaranteed return on investment. The outcome is random, and even a positive event can be limited by fleet parameters, bonuses or free cargo space.
Related FAQ: Can an expedition find an item? · How much can an expedition delay a fleet return?