01
Accelerating inside the hangar
Use small vertical and lateral inputs until the complete ship is clear of the doors.
Star Citizen Beginner Guide
Your First Flight in Star Citizen
Go from waking up in the Persistent Universe to retrieving your ship, leaving the hangar, completing a quantum jump and landing safely.
Default controls checked against RSI guidance on 11 October 2026 · Custom bindings may differ
Quick Answer
Take it one step at a time
Your first goal is not to earn money or master combat. It is to reach your ship, launch cleanly, travel to a simple destination and return without rushing. Accept the New Player Experience tutorial when the current build offers it.
Expect the interface to evolve
Star Citizen is in active development. Menu labels, default controls and travel modes can change. Use the in-game keybindings screen when a listed default does not match your setup.
Complete Walkthrough
From hab to stored ship
Wake up and orient yourself
Leave the bed, learn basic movement and use the interaction key on doors and panels. If you started directly in a personal hangar, continue at the nearby ASOP terminal.
Find the spaceport
Follow city signs and navigation markers toward the spaceport. Most major landing zones require a tram or shuttle journey before you reach ship retrieval.
Retrieve your ship
Interact with an ASOP vehicle terminal. Select your ship, choose Deliver if needed, then Retrieve. Read the assigned hangar or landing bay before leaving the terminal.
Travel to the assigned hangar
Use the nearby elevator and select the hangar shown by the terminal. If no hangar appears, return to the ASOP screen and confirm the retrieval status.
Enter the ship and use Flight Ready
Find the ramp, ladder, elevator or cockpit entry. Sit in the pilot seat and use Flight Ready through interaction mode or the current default key.
Request takeoff clearance
Contact the spaceport through mobiGlas communications or your ship interface. Wait for authorization and visually confirm that the hangar doors are fully open.
Lift off slowly
Strafe upward just enough to clear the pad. Use third-person view briefly if you need to understand whether the exit is above or in front of the ship. Avoid large throttle inputs inside the hangar.
Leave the hangar and retract gear
Move clear of the doors before accelerating. Retract landing gear, watch the speed limiter and follow any marked departure corridor around the landing zone.
Climb out of the atmosphere
Gain altitude before attempting a long quantum route. Atmospheric flight can be slower and less responsive, especially in heavier ships.
Choose a simple destination
Open the mobiGlas map, select a nearby station or orbital marker and set a route. Check the displayed route and fuel requirement before closing the map.
Enter NAV and quantum travel
Switch the ship to NAV mode, select Quantum operating mode, align with the destination and wait for calibration. Engage only when the route is clear and the interface reports readiness.
Land and store the ship
Contact landing services near your destination, follow the assigned marker, lower the landing gear and descend gently. After touchdown, power down, exit and use the local ASOP terminal to Store the ship when available.
Keyboard and Mouse
Useful default controls
These are current defaults from RSI guidance. Always check Options → Keybindings if your installation, control profile or later patch behaves differently.
| Action | Default input | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Move / strafe | W, A, S, D | Walk on foot and move laterally in flight. |
| Interact | F | Doors, terminals, ship entry and cockpit controls. |
| Flight Ready | U | Prepare ship systems from the pilot seat. |
| Strafe up / down | Space / Left Ctrl | Lift off and control vertical movement. |
| Third-person camera | F4 | Check clearance around the ship; use carefully while moving. |
| Landing gear | N | Raise after departure and lower before landing. |
| mobiGlas / map | F1 / F2 | Open mobiGlas or go directly to the map. |
| NAV mode | B | Prepare the ship for navigation and quantum travel. |
| Quantum operating mode | Middle mouse button | Cycle operating modes until QT is selected. |
| Engage quantum | Left mouse button | Begin travel after alignment and calibration. |
Avoidable Problems
Five first-flight mistakes
02
Leaving before doors open
Authorization alone is not enough. Visually confirm the opening and your exit direction.
03
Forgetting landing gear
Retract it after departure and lower it before the final descent.
04
Quantum travel in the wrong mode
Check that the HUD shows NAV and that Quantum is the selected operating mode.
05
Skipping the landing request
Contact landing services and use the assigned location instead of choosing a random pad.
Practice
Use Arena Commander
Practice flight controls away from the travel time and consequences of the Persistent Universe.
FAQ
First-flight questions
Where is my ship after I retrieve it?
The ASOP terminal displays the assigned hangar or landing bay. Use the nearby elevators and select that destination.
Why will the hangar doors not open?
Request takeoff clearance through landing services and wait for authorization. If nothing happens, check the communication target and try again after a short pause.
Why can I not quantum travel?
Set a route, leave restricted or obstructed areas, switch to NAV mode, select Quantum operating mode and align with the marker until calibration completes.
What happens if I crash?
You can claim the ship again from an ASOP terminal. Treat the first few flights as practice and avoid carrying equipment you cannot afford to lose.
Official Sources
Information checked against RSI
Your first flight is only the beginning
Continue with money-making, landing, repair, insurance and navigation guides.