The RSI Constellation Mk V Centaurus is the first ship in a new generation of Star Citizen’s most recognisable ship line. CIG showed it in full on October 14, 2026, in a Behind the Ships video and a developer Q&A, and the ship is on the pledge store now. It is a gunship and a medium freighter in one hull: four pilot-controlled size 5 guns, two remote quad size 3 turrets, 32 size 2 missiles, 240 SCU of cargo and a new snub fighter, the Skylark, docked underneath.
The headline for anyone who already flies a Constellation is that the Mk V is bigger and heavier than the Mk IV, and CIG is open about the trade. It turns and accelerates more slowly, but it carries a second shield generator, thicker armor, more cargo and a higher top speed in navigation mode. You can also try it for free until October 20 through the RSI Discovery Month rental contract.
A gunship and a freighter in one hull
CIG describes the Centaurus as RSI’s new daily driver among large ships, built to work for a solo pilot and for a full crew. The pilot gets four size 5 weapons plus the full missile loadout. Two more crew members run the remote turrets from seats on the bridge next to the pilot, one covering the top of the ship and one the underside, so the gunners and the pilot can coordinate without leaving the room.
As a medium freighter it holds 240 SCU, which CIG says is enough to carry some of the largest ground vehicles currently in the game through the rear ramp. The brief is to hold its own against threats of a similar size and to defend itself from fighters, not to replace a dedicated warship.
- Pilot weapons: four size 5 guns
- Turrets: two remote quad size 3 mounts, operated from the bridge
- Missiles: 32 size 2 on two matching racks, with internal spares that the crew can reload in flight
- Cargo: 240 SCU, loaded through a descending rear ramp
- Snub: the RSI Skylark comes as standard
How the Mk V compares with the Mk IV
The Q&A spells out the differences. The Mk V is tuned to a heavier class, so it is slower to turn and accelerate and needs more room to reposition in a fight. In return it is far more durable, carries a second size 3 shield generator and reaches a higher NAV speed. Armor deflection and overall armor integrity are both up, although CIG says it is still less heavily armored than the Hammerhead or the Perseus.
The pilot keeps the same four size 5 guns as the Mk IV. The turrets change the most: the manned turrets become quad size 3 remote mounts controlled from the bridge. The old four mixed-size missile racks are replaced by two racks of the same size for a total of 32 size 2 missiles, with storage racks directly behind them for reloading in flight, the same arrangement as the Perseus.
The bridge is new but keeps the Mk IV idea of the whole crew sitting in one room, and the view is much better because the old window struts are gone. The landing gear and the nose-up landed pose are deliberate nods to the original ship.
Inside the Centaurus
The interior layout is where the ship departs most from the Mk IV. You enter by lift or airlock into a small entry room. Toward the front there is a dedicated space for suit lockers and weapon racks, then the bridge. CIG originally ran the main corridor down the middle of the ship but moved it to one side, which freed up room for a larger mess hall and a single shared crew dormitory.
The rear third of the ship is double height. A raised gantry looks down into the cargo bay, and an engineering corridor runs under the belly with space for spare missiles and extra components. There are more windows than the Mk IV had, including one in the rear engineering area next to the snub bay, one in the missile control area under the ship, and windows in the habitation and mess areas that overlook the cargo bay.
The Skylark snub fighter
The Skylark is the Centaurus’s own snub fighter and the only ship that can dock with it: the Kruger P-52 Merlin and P-72 Archimedes from the Mk IV will not fit because the geometry is completely different. It carries three size 2 guns and two racks of five size 1 missiles, and its components are fully accessible for maintenance.
Its unusual feature is a second shield generator, which CIG says gives it much more staying power than a typical snub. The cost is that it sits at the heavier, less agile end of the snub bracket, so it will not match the Pitbull’s firepower or the Fury’s speed. The pilot flies prone, lying flat with the canopy wrapping above and below, to keep the ship as slim as possible. Its weapon rack and personal storage can be used while it is docked inside the Centaurus or landed on its own.
The Centaurus cannot refuel, rearm or repair the Skylark, unlike the mothership feature recently introduced on some carriers. CIG plans to sell the Skylark as a standalone ship at this year’s Intergalactic Aerospace Expo.
Pledge details, the free rental and more variants
On the store, the Warbond standalone pledge includes a bonus Convergence paint for both the Centaurus and the Skylark. Warbond pledges cannot be bought with store credit. Ahead of the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo, RSI is offering a 10-year insurance policy on non-Warbond standalone Centaurus pledges. CIG did not state a price in the material this article is written from, so check the store page.
If you want to fly it before you decide, the RSI Discovery Month event that runs until October 20 includes a Constellation Rental Offer contract that grants five days of access to the Centaurus. CIG also confirmed that more Constellation Mk V variants are planned, covering both familiar roles and new ones, though it gave no names or dates.
What happened to the Mk IV in 4.10.2
The video spends its first half on the Mk IV update that shipped in Alpha 4.10.2. All four Mk IV variants lost most of the horizontal and diagonal struts in the bridge windows, got bridge seats and screens from the current RSI style kit, a redesigned habitation area with three suit lockers and three weapon racks, physical interaction panels on every door, physicalised components and a fresh materials and decal pass inside and out. The Phoenix also got a rebuilt hot tub, a changing area, en-suite bathrooms for all three VIP rooms, a new side airlock and discreet weapon storage.
CIG also clarified what the Mk IV retirement means. The series moves from the pledge store to being earnable only in the game. Future updates are meant to add classic ship dealers, missions that unlock blueprints and crafting changes so older ships can be kept current. Older ships will keep getting gameplay features, bug fixes and balance changes, and CIG’s position is that newer does not automatically mean better.
What this means for new players
The Constellation has been the ship people recommend as a do-everything first big ship for years, and the Centaurus is CIG’s attempt to carry that role forward. If you are new, the sensible move is to use the Discovery Month rental before October 20 to see whether a ship this size suits you, and to remember that a gunship with two remote turrets and a snub fighter is at its best with friends aboard. The Mk IV is still a capable ship and is being upgraded alongside the new one, so a cheaper or second-hand Mk IV is not a dead end. Our Star Citizen referral code guide explains how the 50,000 UEC signup bonus works and how to apply code STAR-6WPK-3K56 before you enlist.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Centaurus carries 240 SCU, loaded through a rear ramp. CIG says that is enough for some of the largest ground vehicles currently in the game.
It is bigger, tougher and carries more, with a second shield generator, remote quad turrets and a higher NAV speed, but it turns and accelerates more slowly. CIG says the Mk IV stays supported and that newer does not necessarily mean better.
No. Only the new RSI Skylark can dock with the Mk V, because its docking geometry is very different from the Mk IV’s.
Yes, during RSI Discovery Month. Completing the Constellation Rental Offer contract grants five days of access to the Centaurus. The event ends on October 20, 2026.
No. CIG confirmed the Centaurus does not have the refuel, rearm and repair feature that some motherships recently gained.
Source: Star Citizen | Behind the Ships: RSI Constellation Mk V Centaurus. Details come from CIG’s Behind the Ships episode on the Constellation Mk V Centaurus, the developer Q&A Comm-Link and the ship’s store page, all published October 14, 2026.
