Ship components

Spaceships and ground vehicles in Star Citizen can be equipped with a variety of different types of components such as power plants and shield generators. Each component is classified by SIZE and GRADE and CLASS, ship weapons are classified by size only. The size determines on which ships and vehicles a component can be installed, CLASS and GRADE indicate how well it works. Each component hardpoint is limited to one component type, meaning it is not possible to install a power plant on a hardpoint dedicated to a shield generator.

Avionics

Avionics is the on-board electronics allowing to control the elements of the ship and to collect their state.

Radar Radars are used to detect external elements (approaching ships or missiles, debris, etc.).

Computer The on-board computers process data from all the other components.

Propulsion systems

The propulsion systems include all the elements which take part in the propulsion of the ship apart from the thrusters themselves.

Fuel intake Fuel intakes are used to manage the fuel supply to the engines, in order to regulate the speed.

Fuel tank Fuel tanks store the fuel necessary for the operation of the ship.

Quantum drive The quantum drives allows the ship to perform quantum jumps, or journeys at 20% of the speed of light.

Jump module The Jump Modules allows the ship to travel at high speed between points of interest in the same orbit.

Quantum fuel tank The quantum fuel tanks store the fuel necessary for quantum travel.

Thrusters

The thrusters allow the ship to evolve in its environment. A spacecraft has a very large quantity of them, in order to perform maneuvers in space and in the atmosphere of a planet, in all situations.

Main thruster The main thrusters are powerful engines providing the ship with its main thrust. Ships are generally equipped with one module but capital ships can have more.

Retro thruster Retro thrusters allow ships to provide reverse thrust in order to slow down. They are particularly important for heavy vessels.

VTOL thruster VTOL thrusters, for "Vertical Take-Off and Landing" essentially allow ships to land and take off. They maintain flight stability, especially on the surface of a planet.

Maneuvering thruster Maneuvering thrusters are used, as their name suggests, for precision maneuvers. These are small thrusters scattered over the hull.

Systems

Systems have a direct impact on the functioning of the ship. They protect it, regulate it, and provide it with energy.

Power plant The power plant is the main source of energy for the ship. Its power depends on its size (size 1 to size 6), its model and the type of technology used.

Cooler Coolers have the purpose to cool down other ship components and prevent overheating.

Shield generator Shields are used to protect the ship from external elements (debris, enemy attacks, etc.).

Hardpoint matrix

Ship components are defined by three major criteria: Size and Grade and Class.

Classification	Rating	Description	Note
Size	0 or V	Used only by ground vehicles.	A 0 to 4 rating that determines on which ship or vehicle a component can be installed, only components of matching size can be installed.
	1 or S	Used by snub ships and small sized ships.
	2 or M	Used predominantly by medium sized ships
	3 or L	Used predominantly by large sized ships.
	4 or C	Used predominantly by capital sized ships.
Grade	A or 1	Best performing, can have additional item slot (Sub Items).
	B or 2	Good performance, can have additional item slot (Sub Items).
	C or 3	Standard for most ships, average performance.
	D or 4	Low quality, used by NPC.
Class	Military	Highest functionality and most expensive but also highest consumption.
	Civilian	General use with no major drawbacks.
	Stealth	Reduced consumption and signature but also reduced functionality.
	Industrial	Reliably high output and low wear, high emissions.
	Competition	Higher performing than military but at the expense of durability and stealth, focus on performance.

See also

• List of ship and vehicle components