Escalation is an advancement of an Exploration complex into a chain of additional encounters.
Only combat complexes and anomalies could escalate.
Anomalies escalate into a DED rated once-static complexes with a very low probability.
Exploration ("normal") complexes escalate to a chain of encounters each several jumps away from the other. At times, it could be a really long trip.
Reported Escalations:
SlaveBreedingPlants
TruePowerShipyards
NationOnTheRise
SerpentisCorporationHydroponiscSite5se
PunishthePioneers [stub: details needed. escalation from Haunted Yard (rogue drones) ]
CategoryEscalation