Survey ship!?

You need to research up to Sensors Mk III, I believe. Not quite sure on that though, as I too am new to the game. But I do know it's fairly early in the tech tree on the "Sensor" branch. Be careful, though. The survey module is quite large, and it's unlikely you will have medium hulls or the miniturization available to equip a ship to go at any reasonable speed while surveying in the early game--hence why they give you a fast medium ship at the start.

I make an early survey ship using the cargo hull. Put on lots of engines, one survey component and at least one regular sensor. Works very well. (Before I research sensors I just put on several regular sensor components. Get a fast scout ship with lots of range - speed 6, sensor range 5-7 depending on how much life support I put on it, and it is cheap.)

Only 1 Hp - usually the AI leaves then alone as in the first few years they are stil expanding and consolidating. I make at least two and if anomolies are set to abundant I can rake them in.

The Sensor Tech gives you the survey unit I beleive. If not the first, then the second.

But it is expensive.