Step 06 of the Star Citizen beginner guide: the four industry loops that actually pay, which ships each one needs, and the rental trick that gets you into them without saving for months.
⚠ Code must be entered DURING account creation Cannot be applied retroactively, no subscription required
Congratulations, Citizen. Tutorial cleared. Your first priority is to stabilize your presence at Everus Harbor, which bypasses the long atmospheric exit times of Lorville and puts you seconds from action in space.
Set your medical spawn before you earn anything // PRIMARY OBJECTIVE
CLINIC TRANSFER MANDATORY: Locate the Clinic on the station’s Galleria or Cargo deck. Use the Insurance Terminals to “Transfer Imprint” to this facility. If you die, you respawn at the station, not Lorville. See 47:51 in the video.
Where the deep dives live // HUB GUIDE
The panels below are summaries. Each system has a standalone full-page guide. Click VIEW FULL GUIDE on any panel to open it.
Engineering, Medical 2.0 and crafting explained // CLICK TO EXPAND
Resource Network: Check the Power MFD to ensure life support, weapons, and shields are all receiving power. Engineering terminals let you redirect power manually.
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Cambrio Repair Units: Physical hull repairs use Cambrio units carried in your personal inventory. Target damaged sections and activate the repair tool.
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Fire Suppression: Active fire systems are live. Locate fire suppression panels and activate them before fires compromise components. See 52:00.
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Soft vs. Hard Death: Soft death = ship disabled but repairable. Hard death = ship destroyed. Explained at 45:41.
The best ways to make aUEC in Star Citizen // INDUSTRY LOOPS
Each loop below has a free tool that does the research for you, and most of them are a full beginner guide as well: how the career actually works, which ship to fly, and where the money is right now, on one page. Open one, learn the loop, and fly out earning instead of reading about it.
LOOP // ALPHA
Mining
Scan surfaces for ore deposits. Fracture rocks by managing laser power. Extract processed ore for refining and sale.
RECOMMENDED: Prospector · Golem · MOLE
Tool + beginner guideOPEN THE MINING FINDER →Every material and where it is, plus the part new miners get wrong: ship, ROC and hand mining see different ore at the same site. Read it first, then fly.
LOOP // BETA
Salvage
Locate derelict ships. Strip hull plating or munch frames into RMC using salvage beams. High risk, high reward.
Buy low / sell high or accept Hauling Contracts. Use Cargo Elevators to physically load containers. Best entry income loop. Hull C is the gold standard large hauler.
Respond to NPC refueling distress beacons across the ‘Verse and top up stranded ships for credits. One of the highest-paying industrial careers available, because demand is constant and competition is low. Scalable from solo to multi-crew operations with larger tankers.
Tool + beginner guideOPEN THE REFUELING FINDER →Teaches the whole career: how a refuel works step by step, the contract ladder to Elite, and where to buy fuel cheap so the job actually pays.
How to afford an industrial ship: the rental leverage loop // STRATEGY
Do not try to save 2-million aUEC from scratch. Use your 50,000 aUEC referral bonus (code: STAR-PTQ3-57MN) to immediately rent a Prospector or RAFT at Vantage Rentals (Lorville) for ~70,000 aUEC/day. A single dedicated session in a rented ship can net 500,000+ aUEC, so the referral bonus effectively pays for your first rental. Full progression breakdown at 1:00:22.
How to avoid getting your ship impounded // SHIP IMPOUND
Committing crimes (illegal cargo, attacking players in monitored Stanton space) can result in your ship being impounded by Crusader Security. Retrieve it by paying the fine at an ASOP terminal. Stay in safe zones until you understand the legal system.
TASK // Onboarding complete
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Medical spawn set at Everus Harbor, no more respawning in Lorville.
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Engineering system understood, Resource Network and Cambrio units ready.
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Industry career path selected: hauling, mining, salvage or refueling loop initialized.
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Rental leverage strategy confirmed, Prospector or RAFT rental queued at Vantage Rentals.
ONBOARDING SEQUENCE COMPLETE
READY TO BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY?
Start with 50,000 bonus aUEC, use the referral code below at account creation.
What are the best ways to make money in Star Citizen?
The four primary industry loops for earning aUEC are Mining (scan and fracture ore deposits using ships like the Prospector or MOLE), Salvage (strip derelict ships for RMC and components using a Vulture or Reclaimer), Cargo Hauling (buy low and sell high, or run hauling contracts with ships like the RAFT or Hull C), and Refueling (respond to NPC distress beacons using the MISC Starlite, MISC Starfarer or Starfarer Gemini). Refueling is one of the best paying loops because NPC demand is constant and competition is low.
What are the best ships for the Star Citizen refueling career?
The MISC Starlite is the compact solo refueling ship and the easiest entry point for a new pilot answering distress beacons. The MISC Starfarer is the dedicated multi-role tanker and the industry standard for fuel operations. The Starfarer Gemini is the militarised variant with better defences, which matters in Pyro and contested space. All three can fulfil NPC refueling missions.
How much aUEC can a new player earn in an hour?
Delivery and bounty contracts from your starting city are the realistic first income, and they pay enough to cover gear, ammunition and repairs while you learn. The industrial loops pay far more per hour but need a ship you will not own on day one, which is what the rental leverage loop above is for.
Do I need to buy a ship with real money to earn aUEC?
No. Your game package includes a ship, and every industrial hull can be rented in game with aUEC or bought outright once you have earned enough. See the starter ship comparison for what your first hull can already do.
