AURORA MK I & MK II

As the modern-day descendant of the Roberts Space Industries X-7 spacecraft used to test the first-ever jump engines, RSI's Aurora Mk I has been a part of humanity's journey to the stars since the very beginning. With its ease of use and undeniable practicality, countless pilots have relied on the Aurora series to forge their paths to the broader universe. Now, after accomplishing so much for so many, the Mk I’s journey draws to a close as the torch is passed to light our next chapter.

We asked the Vehicle and Gameplay teams a few questions about the new Aurora Mk II and what's to come for its iconic predecessor, the Mk I. Here are the answers, straight from the devs themselves.

The RSI Aurora Mk II and Aurora Mk I SE will be flyable in-game when Alpha 4.7 goes live.

The Aurora is one of the most iconic ships in the 'verse - what makes the Mk II feel like a worthy evolution for pilots who've grown up with the original?

The Aurora Mk II takes the essence of the Mk I and brings it up to a level suitable for the game as it exists today. While pilots will notice little touches and hints back to the original, such as the circular side door, bed configuration, and window, the Mk II has been designed from the ground up to be a much more capable ship within the existing game mechanics.

Can the folding wings be triggered independently during flight or are they linked exclusively to takeoff and landing?

Yes, they can be toggled independently. However, landing mode forces them into the folded state.

Does switching between these wing states alter the way the ship flies or handles?

In the future, there will be minor aerodynamic changes. At launch, the primary difference is that the wing guns are disabled when the wings are folded to both prevent them from firing through the ship and to prevent players from engaging in combat with a significantly reduced frontal cross section.

Why did you make the change from variants to modularity for the Aurora series?

Part of the initial design scope when creating the Mk II was to explore what differences we could make between modules or variants. Looking at the existing game loops, we decided that having a base ship capable of doing a little bit of most missions, with the option to further boost its performance with modules, was more interesting than making variants.

Does the 6 SCU of cargo from the Cargo Module stack with the 2 SCU of embedded storage for 8 total SCU? If so, where does this place the Aurora Mk II among other cargo-related starter ships?

Yes, the 2 SCU of storage on the base ship stacks with the Cargo Module to provide a total of 8 SCU. Compared to other starters, this puts it up there with ships like the Avenger Titan (8 SCU) and Reliant Kore (6 SCU) and above others, such as the Anvil Pisces and Drake Cutter (4 SCU).

The Combat Module adds another shield generator and missile rack. How does this change affect the combat experience in the Aurora Mk II?

Additional missiles provide significantly more offensive firepower, while the third generator provides backup shielding when the base ones are down. These benefits are at the expense of additional mass and slightly reduced handling performance.

The Aurora Mk II is the first ship to feature externally attached modules. Can you walk us through how it works in practice, and whether pilots will be swapping modules manually with a tractor beam, through the mobiGlas Vehicle Loadout Manager, or both?

Players can attach and detach the modules manually with a tractor beam or via the VMA. If players own the modules, they can be called up by freight elevators, but they can also salvage and attach them via tractor beam if they can find them.

Does either module, through size, shape, or weight, change the flight characteristics of the vehicle?

Yes, they both add mass, which in turn reduces the performance characteristics of the ship slightly.

Will there be more modules released for the Aurora Mk II in the future? If so, what are you currently considering?

More modules are planned for the future. While we’re not ready to confirm anything specifically, there are multiple game loops that could have a module to allow players to utilize it.

It’s been quite a few years since the original Aurora made its debut. How has your experience in building the many ships since then guided your approach to design, polish, and quality of life for the new Aurora Mk II?

The main differences between the ships are a result of the scope of the game. From a player metrics point of view, ships require much more space internally for traversal and access to items but also the number of “things” we add to ships now, such as weapon racks, storage, fire extinguishers, and component access. This, combined with adopting the newer RSI styling, has resulted in a ship that’s larger but more capable than its predecessor.

How and when do I get my free Celebration paint?

The limited-edition blue and red paint is a free gift for all Aurora Mk I owners during this promotion. It will be awarded to all accounts that have an active Aurora pledge at both the start of the promotion, and then a few days after it closes. If you do not currently have an active Aurora on your account, you have until the end of the Celebration promotion to acquire or recover a pledge and hold onto it.

Only one paint will be gifted per account with an active Aurora pledge and is non-transferable. After you've received your gift, you will retain the gifted paint should you melt, gift or upgrade the Aurora after the promotion ends.

Will Aurora Mk I paints be compatible with the Mk II?

No, the Aurora Mk I and Mk II are distinct chassis and not variants, so paints are not shared between the two.

Can I apply the unique exterior and interior of the Mk I SE to other Auroras in that series?

No, the SE is an exclusive final-run variant to celebrate the series, featuring the best bits of the other ships in one combined package. The exterior paint changes are the default for the SE, and like the existing Mk I, each has a unique default paint that can’t be applied to the others. The interior is also an exclusive that cannot be applied to others.

Will the Aurora Mk I SE be available again once this promotion ends?

No, the Aurora Mk I SE is a limited-time promotional variant and we have no current plans to offer it again in the future.

Does the "retirement" of the Aurora Mk I mean I cannot fly the original ship anymore?

No, the Mk I is not leaving the universe. As with the real world, RSI is simply ending production of the outgoing model in favor of the newer Mk II, with the original becoming a collector's item representative of RSI's history in the verse. When RSI ‘retires’ the Mk I on September 30, 2026, its in-game playability will not change, similar to the previously retired Anvil Hornet Mk I. This six-month notice is to give anyone interested ample time to acquire an Aurora Mk I before its farewell.

Will existing Aurora Mk I ships and upgrades in the buyback list still be available to pledge back after the ‘sunset’?

This promotion starts a ‘sunset’ window for the Aurora Mk I from both the Pledge Store (including any unretrieved standalone ships, upgrades, or CCUs that specifically involve the Aurora Mk I in your account's buyback queues) as well as in-game shops. This window begins on March 25, 2026, and is scheduled to end on September 30, 2026. After September 30, 2026, the Aurora Mk I will still be fully supported in gameplay, including repairs, refueling, maintenance, and components, but the chassis will no longer be obtainable from standard in-game vendors.

Will the Aurora Mk I series still be earnable in-game?

While the Mk I doesn't disappear from in-game and web shops for another six months, we’re always considering interesting ways for players to acquire rare in-game items. For now, we're keeping the door open for fun ways future players might still acquire a collector's item like this in-game down the line.