RSI Aurora Mk II Arrives with Alpha 4.7 — The Starter Ship Reborn

For over a decade, the RSI Aurora has been the first ship countless pilots ever sat in. It was the ship that made Star Citizen feel real — your cockpit, your cargo, your corner of the 'verse. Today, with the launch of Star Citizen Alpha 4.7, that legacy takes a major step forward. The Aurora Mk II is now flyable, and it's a genuine evolution: sharper, smarter, and built from the ground up to match the game Star Citizen has become.

Same DNA, Sharper Edges

The Mk II doesn't abandon what made the original beloved. The four-wing silhouette is still there, the circular side door remains, and the overall proportions stay true to the classic Aurora profile. But everything has been tightened and refined. The new design leans angular and sleek, with a layered armoured aesthetic and RSI's modern visual language applied throughout.

One of the most immediately noticeable changes is the addition of folding wings — a transforming state that can be toggled independently during flight, though landing mode locks them into the folded position. At launch, folding the wings disables the wing-mounted guns to prevent firing through the ship's own hull; minor aerodynamic differences from wing states are planned for the future. Hidden VTOL fans beneath the wings assist with manoeuvring, and in a small but satisfying detail, pilots can now vault over the front canopy from the outside. The rear section received particular attention during development, with components and surface detail all oriented toward the ship's centreline — clean, purposeful, and very RSI.

Built for the Modern Game

Where the Mk I was limited by when it was made, the Mk II was designed inside out — conceived around the gameplay systems the game actually has today. The interior reflects that completely.

The cockpit offers significantly improved visibility with extensive glazing. Turning around from the pilot seat reveals two shelves for mission storage boxes, an engineering panel with component access below it, a suit locker, and a weapon rack. At the rear, a larger bed with an overhead display rounds out the living space. It's compact, but everything has a place and feels earned rather than squeezed in.

The base ship carries 2 SCU of internal cargo storage, protected within the hull rather than slung underneath as it was on earlier Aurora variants.

Modules Over Variants

One of the most significant design decisions made during the Mk II's development was the move away from variants entirely. Rather than producing separate ships — each requiring its own modeling pass and design rethink — CIG built the Mk II around swappable external modules. Pilots own one ship and adapt it.

Two modules are available at launch:

TS Cargo Module — Adds 6 SCU of cargo capacity on a drop lift, bringing the total to 8 SCU when combined with the base ship's internal storage. That places it alongside the Avenger Titan at the top end of starter-class cargo capacity, and ahead of the Anvil Pisces and Drake Cutter. It's a strong foundation for players who want to begin building a hauling career before stepping up to something larger.

DM Combat Module — Adds eight Size 2 missiles and a third Size 1 shield generator, providing roughly 50% more shielding than the base configuration alongside a significant boost to offensive firepower. The trade-off is added mass and a slight reduction in handling. For pilots heading into contested space, it's a meaningful upgrade.

Modules can be swapped manually using a tractor beam or through the mobiGlas Vehicle Loadout Manager. Owned modules can be called up via freight elevators. Both modules add mass and marginally affect flight performance. More modules are confirmed to be in development — CIG has stated that multiple gameplay loops could be served by future Aurora Mk II modules, and any pilot who owns the ship now will be able to use them when they arrive.

Combat Loadout

The base Mk II comes equipped with four Size 2 weapon hardpoints and four Size 2 missile hardpoints, each defaulting to dual Size 1 missiles. Crucially, the guns are mounted to the same structural points as the wings — meaning if the wings are lost in combat, the weapons remain attached and functional. Losing a wing costs you missiles and, on the lower wings, VTOL capability, but you stay in the fight.

Farewells and Classics

Alongside the Mk II reveal, CIG has introduced the Aurora Mk I SE — a limited special edition that serves as a formal send-off for the original series. It combines the cargo capacity of the CL, the base combat configuration of the MR, the weapon loadout and intakes of the LN, and the luxury interior finish of the LX, all wrapped in a unique premium paint and upgraded materials. CIG describes it as the best of every Mk I variant rolled into one. It will not be offered again after the current promotion ends.

The Mk I itself is not disappearing. RSI is simply ending production — in-game and on the Pledge Store — with a six-month window running from today until September 30, 2026. After that date, the ship remains fully supported and flyable, but will no longer be available through standard in-game vendors or the pledge store. CIG has drawn an explicit parallel to the retired Anvil Hornet Mk I, with the expectation that the Aurora Mk I will take on a similar classic collector status within the universe. Existing Mk I paints are not transferable to the Mk II, as the two are distinct chassis rather than variants of the same platform.

Free celebration paints are being gifted to all accounts with an active Aurora Mk I pledge during the promotion window.

A Starter Ship That Grows With You

The Aurora Mk II is designed to welcome new pilots without condescending to veterans. For someone arriving in Star Citizen for the first time, it offers a functional, capable platform with clear upgrade paths and enough interior detail to feel like a real ship. For experienced pilots, it works as a modular secondary craft — something to fall back on when a primary ship is out of commission and you need to get back out there fast.

After a decade of refinement, the Aurora remains where it always has been: at the start of everything.

Source: Roberts Space Industries