The Elite: Dangerous website notes that Frontier Developments' space-based MMOG is in the process of upgrading, as today is the launch of the game's free Powerplay expansion. This updates the game to version 1.3, and the complete patch notes are in this forum post, though it may take a couple of days to read through them all. Here's a launch trailer, and here's a summary of what this adds:

Powerplay is the third major free update for Elite: Dangerous and the largest to date, introducing new ships, new features and an all-new strategic layer to the Elite: Dangerous galaxy.

In Powerplay, players can pledge allegiance to one of a number of galactic Powers and join the battle for interstellar conquest and control. Players can guide their chosen faction’s strategy, take on special objectives to advance their shared cause, and dominate Elite: Dangerous’ full-scale Milky Way galaxy together.

Players are rewarded with valuable perks, reputation bonuses and unique equipment for their allegiance as they defend their territory and conquer human space. Every action taken in Powerplay will have a direct and visible impact on the balance of galactic power for all players.

Powerplay’s new strategic layer connects with and enhances every aspect of the Elite: Dangerous experience, and headlines an immense free update containing hundreds of upgrades and new features, including:

• An enhanced mission system with new objectives and new ways to play.
• Three new ships: the Lakon Diamondback Scout, Lakon Diamondback Explorer and the Imperial Courier.
• Drones for cargo collection, fuel trading and prospecting.
• A new illustrated GalNet newsfeed, accessible directly in players’ ship UI.
• High and low intensity mining sites, adding risk to mining and increasing potential rewards.
• New minable commodities.
• An updated bounty system.
• Upgraded UI and animated emblems for ranking up.
• Numerous other improvements to gameplay and performance.

The new Powerplay trailer is available here. Elite: Dangerous is available now for PC and Mac, and is coming to Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, in 2015.