Aurora Mk II
Roberts Space Industries

While the Aurora has long been regarded as the ideal ship for getting into the game on a budget, over the years its reputation has gradually declined. This was partly due to growing competition offering better alternatives, but also because of a lack of diversity—despite five variants, none of which stood out enough from the others to be truly compelling. It wasn't until 2956 (2026) that Roberts Space Industries (RSI) offered us the "solution" with the new generation of the Aurora series, the Mark 2.

Thus, like the Hornet, the Aurora Mk II upgrades and replaces its predecessor. But it doesn't just offer an improved version of the series—it reinvents it by introducing modularity. Let's take a closer look...

The Aurora Mark I was introduced in 2659. Initially marketed as an affordable entry-level ship, it quickly established itself in the market and became one of the most widespread vehicles within the United Earth Empire (UEE). After numerous improvements over the years, many variants were introduced. By the end of its production run, the Aurora had a total of five variants—or even six, if the special edition is included.

Its main strength was its price, which made the Aurora the most affordable ship in the Verse. But this strength is also a weakness, as the ship is minimalist—perhaps even too minimalist—to the point that it becomes difficult to discern enough differences between the variants for them to stand out from one another.

3 additional cargo SCUs for the CL variant, a luxurious interior and a larger missile rack capacity for the LX, a full armament and an even larger missile rack for the LN, etc. Each upgrade comes with a price increase of up to $15. That's a lot for a small ship that struggles to hold its own against an aging Titan or the new generation of ships such as the Nomad, Series 100, and many others.

There are therefore only two possible options: either take advantage of the Gold Standard upgrade to completely overhaul the series in order to better diversify it, or start from scratch and introduce a new generation of Aurora.

And so, in late March 2956, Roberts Spaces Industries (RSI) shook up the starter ship market with the release of the Aurora Mk II. While the iconic Aurora series had eventually become outdated after nearly 300 years of loyal service, the Mark II made a strong comeback and established itself as the new benchmark for starter ships.

For many years, starting out with a basic Aurora MR or a Mustang Alpha was more than enough, but as the game evolved, these ships eventually became outdated, both in combat and for routine missions, to the point where these two ships naturally faded from the aerial landscape of Star Citizen's Persistent Universe, making way for various more attractive—but also more expensive—ships.

It wasn't until 2026 that an affordable starter ship returned to the market and established itself as the new benchmark for starter ships, even if this meant a slight increase in the minimum investment required for a new player to get started.

Thus, the Aurora Mark II had the impact of a bowling ball in a china shop.

Its release marked the end of the Mark I, which will no longer be available as of September 30, 2026. But above all, while the Mark I was outdated, the same cannot be said for the Mark II, which has been redesigned to be The Game's Discovery Ship, bordering on perfection while retaining its low-cost nature.

But what makes the Aurora Mk II "perfect"?

First of all, it's a small ship designed for combat. It's not the best of its kind, but with its Size 2 arsenal and 8 Size 1 missiles, decent maneuverability, and respectable durability, it's more than capable of handling situations that call for heavy fire.

On top of that, although it isn't equipped with amenities or a galley, the living space is spacious enough for a sleeping area, an engineering console, a weapons rack, an armor locker, and even two mission crates. Finally, for those who'd like to carry more than just mission crates, there's even a slot for a 2 SCU cargo hold.

In summary, for $45.00, you get a capable fighter with a living space that can store weapons and armor, a slot for 2 mission crates, and the ability to carry 2 SCU. Few ships can offer so much at such a price.

But that's not all, because the Aurora Mk II is modular!
You can therefore upgrade it by adding a TS or DM module.

• Need more cargo space?

  The TS Cargo Module lets you expand your cargo capacity by 6 SCU, for a total of 8 SCU.

• Want more firepower?

  The DM Combat Module lets you add a missile launcher equipped with 8 Size 2 missiles and 1 additional shield.

• Want even more?

  Other modules are in the works; the only question is when they'll be added to the list and what new features they'll bring to the ship. But until then, feel free to let your imagination run wild.

Of course, these modules are available for purchase in the store, but they'll also be available in-game, and you might even be better off waiting until they're available in-game to acquire them later, depending on how you use the ship.

In fact, you might even find such modules on an Aurora Mk II wreck. A simple multitool equipped with a tractor beam will allow you to retrieve it and transfer it to your own ship if there's a free slot.

The most striking feature is the ship's increased size. While an Aurora Mk I measured 18.5 meters long, 8.25 meters wide, and 4 meters high, the Mark 2 measures 27.5 meters long, 10.5 meters wide, and 5.5 meters high at the ground level. Or 24.5 m long, 28 m wide, and 7.5 m high in combat stance, since the Aurora Mk II has a combat stance.

This increase in size stems largely from the need to redesign the ship's interior and improve access to components. Thus, unlike the previous model, the Mark II was built by first defining the living space required for the player. Where the old Aurora felt cramped, the new version now incorporates elements that have become essential to modern gameplay. These include an armor locker, a weapon rack, and two shelves dedicated to mission boxes, all while retaining its "coffin bed."

But it is likely the ship's overall appearance that will be the most debated, as some will not recognize the Aurora in this new generation.

As is too often the case, rather than completely reinventing the ship, Roberts Space Industries (RSI) chose to incorporate familiar visual signatures from recent productions:

• From a distance, the Aurora Mk II in combat stance resembles a "baby Scorpius," as the ship now has the ability to deploy its wings.

• As it gets closer, you'll likely recognize a Zeus cockpit.

• It's only once it's landed that you can walk around the ship and spot a few elements specific to the original series, such as its circular entrance on the side, and the rear and main section that echo the silhouette of the original Aurora.

This design choice is highly questionable, as the Aurora Mk II resembles a "new ship" more than a "new generation of an existing ship." But this does not detract from the ship's quality; we simply would have preferred that the Mark I's Gold Standard release be an opportunity to revamp the entire line, and that the current Aurora Mk II become a new ship that does not necessitate the Mark I's removal from the market.

The only notable issue is that this combat stance, with the ship's wings exposed, is a clear sign of vulnerability. The wings are likely to be the first parts of the ship to be destroyed in combat. Fortunately, the ship's weapons are attached to the hull; only the missile racks would be lost if that were to happen.

It's clear that in recent years, anyone looking to get into the game on a budget has unfortunately had to shell out $60 for a game pack, whereas in the past, a $40 pack was enough.

As for ships, while in the past a simple Aurora MR or Mustang Alpha was more than enough, today it's better to opt for a more suitable ship. Such as the Avenger Titan, which, though aging, still manages to hold its own, or the Nomad, which is probably the best option due to its substantial cargo space. But we're talking about relatively expensive ships here.

The Aurora Mk II has reset the bar, since as a standalone ship it is more than sufficient for discovering the game while remaining affordable—$45 at full price, which is $15 more than the MR variant of its predecessor, but offers significantly more, not to mention its modularity, which should be seen as a "bonus."

This also allows for a reevaluation of the game bundles, which now cost $60 at full price—the standard price for a game on the current market. For $60, you get a bundle that grants you access to the persistent universe of Star Citizen, a ship versatile enough to allow for variety, as well as 10,000 UEC to add to your 50,000 UEC from the referral code below (don't forget that), and if the bundle is part of a Warbond offer, it may be discounted and include various bonuses, such as armor or a paint job.

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A successful gamble?

If we set aside the art direction, we can say the gamble has paid off. In its base version, the Aurora Mk II already manages to address the shortcomings of its predecessor, and its modularity solves the diversity issues of the original Aurora's many variants.

Of course, it's still a small ship; at 45, we couldn't expect a formidable fighter. The Aurora Mk II will likely struggle to make its mark on the battlefield, but its modularity makes it flexible—a quality currently lacking in many ships in the Verse.

We like:

• The price.
• The fact that the base ship is already sufficient on its own:
  • 2 SCU internal cargo capacity.
  • Respectable combat effectiveness (for the price).
• The improved internal living space:
  • Space for 2 mission crates in the cockpit.
  • Weapon rack.
  • Armor locker.
  • Revised "coffin" bed from the Mark I.
  • Addition of an engineering console.
• Modularity
  Even though the ship is already sufficient, the modularity opens up more diversity once in-game.
• The attention to detail in the various paint schemes:
  For once, I'm not rejecting 3 out of 4, so it's worth pointing out...

What we like less:

• The fragility of the wings.
  But that's just because we have to find a flaw...
• The artistic direction—the Aurora loses its original identity.
  But that doesn't detract from the ship's overall quality...
• Of course, it's still a "small ship".
  We shouldn't expect too much from it...

We hope for:

• More diversity in the modules
• More ships that follow this modular approach
• That ships awaiting their modularity aren't forgotten...

We really don't like:

• The retirement of the Aurora Mark I
• The Aurora SE

Okay, I know what you're thinking—you're wondering how a ship I call "perfect" could end up with a 7/10.

First of all, nothing is truly perfect; you can always find something better, though it will likely come at a higher price. So, strictly speaking, I could give it a 10/10, but that wouldn't be fair to the ships that outperform it in various areas (cargo capacity, combat effectiveness, etc.). This means that a 7/10 is already very good for a ship like this, especially since I'm adding a +3 from the heart to emphasize that it could potentially deserve more if I weren't being at least somewhat objective.

Would I recommend the Aurora Mk II as a starter ship?

Absolutely. In terms of value for money, it's my top pick for players who want to get into the game on a budget.

Do I recommend a ship other than the Aurora Mk II?

Yes, but you'll have to pay the price, and in some cases hope that CIG keeps its promises.

I continue to support the Avenger Titan, hoping that it will one day benefit from the promised modularity, and the Nomad remains the best starter ship as a single-seat vessel, but its $80 price tag makes it difficult to afford.

I could say the same about the Cutlass Black or the Shiv, which, despite being multi-crew ships, are perfectly accessible for a solo player.

Finally, I remain a die-hard fan of the Asgard, which is currently my go-to ship, but I wouldn't recommend such a ship to anyone who hasn't spent at least a month in the game before considering it.

Notes & References

• RSI Aurora Mk II
• Q&A RSI Aurora
• Pledge the Aurora Mk II
• Pledge the Aurora Mk II Cargo Module
• Pledge the Aurora Mk II Combat Module
• Behind The Ships: RSI Aurora Mk II