Your First Days in Star Citizen (2026)

TL;DR: When you first log in, you spawn in a habitation room at a major city (usually Lorville or New Babbage). Leave through the elevator, head to the spaceport, find an ASOP vehicle terminal to claim your starter ship, then grab a delivery mission from the MobiGlas (F1) to earn your first aUEC. The most common new-player mistake is forgetting to request landing permission (default: N key while approaching) — you'll get a fine or hostile response if you skip it.

Updated for Alpha 4.9 — July 2026 (version note refreshed October 9, 2026 for Alpha 4.10.2).

Reading this before buying the game? CIG runs Free Fly events where anyone can play for free for a limited window — everything in this guide works the same during one, so it's a no-risk way to spend your first days in the verse.

Step 1 — Your First Login

You'll spawn in a small habitation room. Don't panic — you're in a city. New to all this? Our sister site explains what to expect the first time you launch the game, from character creation to logging out safely. Here's what to do:

1. Press I to check your inventory. You start with a basic undersuit and MobiGlas.
2. Press F near the door panel and select the elevator to leave your habitation floor.
3. Follow signs to the Spaceport or the transit system (metro/tram) — look for the ship icon on directional signs. Lost on the way? Our sister site shows how to get from your hab to the hangar in each of the four starting cities.
4. At the spaceport, find an ASOP terminal (ship management kiosk) to claim and retrieve your starter ship.

Essential On-Foot Controls

• W / A / S / D — Move
• Spacebar — Jump (or ascend in zero-G)
• Ctrl — Crouch (or descend in zero-G)
• Shift — Sprint
• F — Interaction mode (hold and look at objects/panels)
• I — Personal inventory
• F1 — MobiGlas (missions, map, communications)
• F11 — Commlink / Communications app

Step 2 — Claiming Your Ship

1. Locate an ASOP terminal in the spaceport — they look like yellow kiosks with a ship hologram.
2. Interact with it (F) and select Claim or Retrieve next to your starter ship.
3. A hangar or pad number is displayed — follow the signs or take the elevator to that level.
4. Walk up to your ship and board it via the entry ramp or hatch.

Basic Flight Controls

• R — Start engines (Flight Ready toggle)
• N — Landing gear up/down
• W / S — Forward / backward thrust
• A / D — Strafe left / right
• Space — Strafe up
• Ctrl — Strafe down
• Q / E — Roll left / right
• Mouse — Pitch and yaw
• B — Switch to NAV mode (first step of quantum travel)
• F4 — External camera

Step 3 — Your First Mission

1. Press F1 to open your MobiGlas.
2. Select the Missions Manager app (briefcase icon).
3. Look for Delivery or Investigation missions — these are the most beginner-friendly.
4. Accept one and follow the objective markers.

Important Tips

• Request landing permission before approaching any landing pad — ignore this and you'll get fined or fired on.
• Monitor oxygen when doing EVA (spacewalk) — your suit has a finite supply.
• Store valuables in your persistent inventory at major hubs before logging out.
• Ask in global chat (F12) — the community is genuinely helpful to new players.
• Want to play with a friend? See our How to Add Friends in Star Citizen guide.

Frequently Asked Questions