Your first ship

For most new players, your first ship should be the Aurora Mk IIAuroraThe smallest, cheapest starter ship from RSI. Cramped but capable of light cargo, basic combat, and short hauls. A common first ship for new backers. — the ship in the $45 Citizen Starter Pack. It carries cargo, which opens delivery missions from your first session, and it comes with Lifetime InsuranceLTILifetime Insurance — a perk attached to certain ship pledges. It means if you lose the ship in-game, you can re-claim it indefinitely without paying an insurance premium..

It is not the fastest ship, or the prettiest. It is the one that lets you earn money, learn the game, and lose nothing when you outgrow it.

These two have been the classic first-ship debate for years. The honest comparison:

• Aurora Mk IIAuroraThe smallest, cheapest starter ship from RSI. Cramped but capable of light cargo, basic combat, and short hauls. A common first ship for new backers. — the practical choice. It carries cargo. That single fact opens delivery missions immediately — the simplest, safest way for a new player to earn aUECaUECAlpha UEC — the test-server currency used during Star Citizen alpha. It usually wipes when CIG resets the player database between major patches.. It also has a small bed, which lets you log out safely away from a station.
• Mustang AlphaMustangA starter ship from Consolidated Outland. Slightly nimbler than the Aurora, popular with new pilots who want to dogfight early. — the fun choice. It is faster and more agile, and many players enjoy flying it more. But it carries almost nothing, which locks you out of the easiest early money. As a first ship, fun loses to practical.

Today the choice mostly makes itself: the current $45 Citizen Starter Pack comes with the Aurora Mk II. The Mustang Alpha is the long-running alternate, seen in older and occasional promotional packages. If you are choosing between them, choose the Aurora.

The biggest first-ship mistake is treating the decision as permanent. It is not, for two reasons:

• You can earn ships in-game. Missions, cargo, mining, and salvage pay aUEC. Rent a ship to try a career, then buy it outright at an in-game ship shop. No real money required.
• You can upgrade the hull you own. A CCUCCUCross-Chassis Upgrade — a token that lets you upgrade one ship pledge to a more expensive ship by paying just the difference. Backers stockpile CCUs during sales. — Cross-Chassis Upgrade — converts your pledge-store ship into a different one for the price difference between them. Your package, game access, and insurance terms come along. How CCU chains work is covered here.

That is why the cheapest package is the smart entry. Start in the Aurora at $45, fly for a few weeks, and let the game tell you what you actually enjoy. If a career hooks you, the role packages and the in-game market are both still there — and a CCU means the money you already spent is never wasted.

A first-week plan that plays to the ship’s strengths:

• Fly two or three delivery missions — small boxes, honest pay, and the best navigation practice in the game.
• Take a bountyBountyA mission to hunt down and kill a specific NPC criminal for credits. Comes in tiers — VLRT for newbies, ERT for endgame. A reliable income loop. assessment once flying feels comfortable — the Aurora handles the first tiers fine.
• Spend your 50,000 UECUECUnited Earth Credits — the in-game currency used for buying ships, weapons, and gear in the live game. UEC carries between play sessions and patches. referralReferral CodeA unique code another backer shares with you. Using one when you create your account gives you 50,000 UEC free, and the referrer earns a small bonus reward. head start on armor and a better weapon, not a ship — how the bonus works.
• Rent something bigger for a weekend once you have aUEC to spare, and see what fits.

When you are ready to actually make the purchase, the step-by-step buying walkthrough covers the whole checkout, referral code included.