Star Citizen guide #20: buying, renting and fitting a ship in game (aUEC)

Illustration: a ship on display on a pedestal, under a spotlight

No need to pull out your credit card to grow your fleet: almost every flyable ship can be bought in game with aUEC earned by playing. Here’s where and how.

Where to buy a ship

Astro Armada in Area18 (ArcCorp).
New Deal in Lorville (Hurston).
Crusader Industries Showroom in Orison (Crusader).
Buy & Fly at Ruin Station, in Pyro.
Teach’s Ship Shop in Levski, in Nyx, with a few special versions.

Each shop has its own catalog and prices: a ship missing from one shop may be on sale in another. Catalogs change with every patch (Alpha 4.10, for example, added the Hull B and the Golem to several shops, and the Aurora Mk II replaces the old Aurora).

Rent before you buy

Rental counters in spaceports offer many ships for a few days, for aUEC.
It’s the best way to try a career (cargo, mining…) without spending the price of a new ship.
A rented ship disappears when the rental ends: don’t leave anything inside.

Fitting out your ship

Components (shields, power plants, coolers, quantum drive) and weapons are sold in specialized shops in cities and stations.
You install them from the mobiGlas customization app, using items stored in your station inventory.
Since Alpha 4.10, weapons have their own value in insurance claims: a heavily armed ship costs more to claim.

And reselling?

For now, there’s no official way to resell ships in game, neither to shops nor between players: a ship bought with aUEC stays in your fleet. So think before you buy: renting first saves a lot of regret.

💡 Beacon tip: aUEC and ships bought in game can be reset during a big update while the game is in Alpha (Alpha 4.10 had no reset). Enjoy your ships, but don’t treat them like an investment.

Written for Star Citizen Alpha 4.10.2 (October 2026). The game changes with every patch: if something has moved, tell us in a reply and we’ll update the guide.