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 4.8 — May 2026.

Step 1 — Your First Login

You'll spawn in a small habitation room. Don't panic — you're in a city. 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.
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 — Quantum travel mode (spools the QD)
• 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