Two weeks of ships, a free game for everyone and a Galaxy that has finally left the hangar: pack your mittens, we’re going back to microTech.
What is the IAE?
The Intergalactic Aerospace Expo is Star Citizen’s motor show, except some of the ships cost as much as a real car. Every year, the game’s manufacturers display their models in vast expo halls, and over 200 ships and ground vehicles can be test-flown without spending a credit. It is also Cloud Imperium Games’ biggest sales event, with Pledge Store offers following the same schedule.
Dates, times and venue
The 2956 edition runs from November 13 to 27, 2026, at the Tobin Expo Center in New Babbage, on microTech. On the clock, doors open at 16:00 UTC on the 13th and close at 20:00 UTC on the 27th, which is 17:00 and 21:00 CET. After a detour to Orison in 2955, the show returns to New Babbage, its home in 2953 and 2954.
Getting there is simple: pick New Babbage as your home location at character creation, then follow the signs and hop on the Metroloop. Arriving from space, land at the spaceport and follow the IAE signage.
Free Fly: fifteen days with your wallet closed
Star Citizen is free to play for the whole show: create an account, download the game, and you’re in. Every account gets an RSI Aurora Mk II for the duration of the event, available from any ASOP terminal.
On site, rentals are handled at the Traveler Rentals terminals in the main hall, on the relevant manufacturer’s day. Each vehicle can be rented once, for 48 hours. A friend who signs up with a referral code also receives 50,000 UEC.
During the show, there are four ways to fly a ship: the Aurora loaned to every account, a free rental at the show, an in-game purchase with aUEC, or a Pledge Store purchase. The first two are temporary: a loaned or rented ship does not stay in your hangar after the event.
Manufacturer schedule
Each manufacturer gets two days in the spotlight, overlapping with the next.
| Dates | Manufacturers |
|---|---|
| Nov 13-14 | Roberts Space Industries |
| Nov 14-15 | Origin Jumpworks |
| Nov 15-16 | Anvil Aerospace |
| Nov 16-17 | Crusader Industries, Tumbril |
| Nov 17-18 | Drake Interplanetary |
| Nov 18-19 | Argo, Consolidated Outland, Greycat, Grey’s Market |
| Nov 19-20 | MISC, Mirai, Kruger Intergalactic |
| Nov 20-21 | Aegis Dynamics |
| Nov 21-22 | Aopoa, Banu, Esperia, Gatac |
| Nov 22 | Best in Show |
| Nov 23-27 | Finale: the full line-up available to rent |
Rare ships: six waves, one per account
Stock-limited ships are sold in six waves, four hours apart, with one unit per account. The first wave opens at 16:00 UTC (17:00 CET) on the day listed, and the others follow every four hours until 12:00 UTC the next day, to cover every time zone.
| Wave | UTC | CET |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Day 1, 16:00 | 17:00 |
| 2 | Day 1, 20:00 | 21:00 |
| 3 | Day 2, 00:00 | 01:00 |
| 4 | Day 2, 04:00 | 05:00 |
| 5 | Day 2, 08:00 | 09:00 |
| 6 | Day 2, 12:00 | 13:00 |
| Ships | Waves (UTC) |
|---|---|
| Origin 890 Jump | Nov 14 at 16:00 and 20:00, then Nov 15 at 00:00, 04:00, 08:00 and 12:00 |
| Drake Kraken, Kraken Privateer | Nov 17 at 16:00 and 20:00, then Nov 18 at 00:00, 04:00, 08:00 and 12:00 |
| Consolidated Outland Pioneer | Nov 18 at 16:00 and 20:00, then Nov 19 at 00:00, 04:00, 08:00 and 12:00 |
| Aegis Idris-P, Aegis Javelin | Nov 20 at 16:00 and 20:00, then Nov 21 at 00:00, 04:00, 08:00 and 12:00 |
Daily Warbond deals are also on the menu, each lasting 24 hours. One sour note: the MISC Prospector goes from $155 to $175 on MISC day, and the forums did not wait for the doors to open to say so.
Before you reach for your card: a standalone ship does not include access to the game, unlike a Starter Pack, and Warbond deals can only be paid with new money, not store credit. Insurance also varies from one offer to the next.
The new ships
Confirmed
RSI Galaxy. The star of the show is finally flyable, from day one. This large modular ship carries a hangar for small craft and changes role with the module fitted: cargo, medical, refining or construction. According to Neckarus’ Hangar, only the cargo and medical modules are available at launch, with refining and construction waiting on gameplay systems that are not in yet. The cargo module holds 656 SCU, 720 with the rear hangar; the medical module has three tier 3 beds, three tier 2 beds and two tier 1 beds.
Anvil Liberator. The light carrier, able to haul several fighters and vehicles, is eagerly awaited, and its final review wrapped up in October. CIG now features it in its official IAE 2956 artwork, alongside the Galaxy, and it is expected on Anvil day, November 15-16. How it will be sold and rented has yet to be announced.
Announced or strongly expected
- Drake Marauder: name leaked in August, spotted in the official trailer. A medium or heavy fighter, according to unofficial sources. Expected, unconfirmed, on Drake day (November 17-18).
- Gatac Hyūn: an alien Gatac ship, also glimpsed in the trailer. A PTU patch note, posted on November 4 and then removed, suggests a salvage ship. Expected, unconfirmed, on Gatac day (November 21-22).
- RSI Skylark: the Constellation Mk V Centaurus’s little onboard fighter, in the game since Alpha 4.10.2, is listed in its own right in RSI’s day-one line-up: it should be available on its own for the first time.
- Greycat MFC: a ground vehicle announced by CIG last year. A late-October datamine saw it vanish from the expo halls, so it may arrive with Alpha 5.0 instead.
- Anvil HM6 Auxilia: also announced by CIG last year, with the same doubt, since the same datamine saw it leave the halls.
None of this is confirmed, but dataminers don’t sleep much in November.
Gatac Railen. The Xi’an hauler, which arrived in the game in June, is not new, but it appears in the official list for the alien manufacturers’ day, with its own 2026 artwork.
Twitch Drops: a Galaxy-themed outfit
From November 13 to 27, any Star Citizen stream marked “Drops Enabled” on Twitch earns you an outfit to match the Galaxy. Two hours of viewing unlock the Venture Undersuit Black/Grey, four hours the Venture Black Armor Set, and six hours the MacFlex Backpack Orange.
To take part, link your Twitch account to your RSI account: on the RSI website, open your Account Dashboard, then Settings, then Linked Accounts. Then claim each reward on Twitch, and it lands in your hangar shortly after. No Amazon Luna or Prime Gaming needed; each Twitch account can only be linked to one RSI account.
Best in Show: the Perseus takes the crown
November 22 belongs to the winners of Ship Showdown, the community’s annual vote. The RSI Perseus won this year, ahead of the Drake Ironclad Assault, the Drake Corsair and the Origin M80. All four finalists are free to fly from November 22 to 27.
Their owners receive a limited-edition Best in Show livery, a collectible coin and its case. The Perseus adds an RSI-themed bomber jacket, the champion’s privilege. Two conditions apply: you need the exact model (not a variant), and it must be active in your web hangar when the show ends. A ship sitting in buyback does not count, and neither does one bought with aUEC or simply rented, since it is not in your web hangar, and melting it before delivery forfeits the rewards. Rewards are delivered after the final day. If you don’t own one of these ships, you can buy it on November 22 in a Best in Show bundle that already includes the livery, coin and case.
Our tips to make the most of it
- Get ready early: create your RSI account and install the RSI Launcher before the 13th, as the download is a big one.
- New pilots: spend your first session on the controls, take-off and landing before rushing to the big ships.
- Test as a crew: a multi-crew ship is best judged with friends, and in everyday use rather than on a walkaround.
- No impulse buys: a big ship on display is not necessarily right for you, and Free Fly is there precisely so you can try before you buy.
- Beware of codes: do not use activation codes or “keys” offered by third-party sites, the game is free without them.
See you on the 13th at 16:00 UTC. Bring a warm coat: New Babbage is gorgeous, but nobody has ever come back with a tan.
📅 IAE 2956 is also in our events calendar.
The show’s manufacturers
Sources: Roberts Space Industries (official Free Fly and manufacturer schedule, IAE 2956 FAQ on Spectrum, Countdown to IAE 2956, Twitch Drops: IAE 2956). Images: © Cloud Imperium Games.
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