Star Citizen's IAE 2026, called IAE 2956 in the game's calendar, runs from November 13 to November 27 in New Babbage on microTech, and the whole game is free to play for the full 15 days. Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) confirmed the dates in its "Countdown to IAE 2956" comm-link on November 6, 2026, along with a day-by-day manufacturer schedule. This guide covers the official dates, which manufacturer has which day, how to get in for free, what your PC needs, and which Alpha patch you'll actually be playing.
Quick answer: IAE 2956 runs November 13–27, 2026 in New Babbage, microTech (Stanton). Anyone can play Star Citizen for free for the whole event and try over 200 ships and ground vehicles from the show-floor kiosks. Manufacturer days start with RSI on November 13–14, Best in Show is November 22, and the Finale (November 23–27) opens every IAE vehicle at once. RSI's calendar entry for the IAE 2956 Free Fly runs from 16:00 UTC on November 13 to 20:00 UTC on November 27. The LIVE build is still Alpha 4.10.2 as of November 7. Alpha 4.10.3 is on the PTU, and its patch notes list IAE as a test focus. Anything you earn in-game is aUEC, which can be wiped with no refund.
When is IAE 2026 in Star Citizen?
IAE 2956 starts on Friday, November 13 and ends on Friday, November 27, 2026. That's 15 days, with the last five set aside as a finale. CIG's comm-link puts it plainly:
"Celebrate the launch of the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo 2956 by playing Star Citizen FOR FREE throughout the entire event." — Countdown to IAE 2956, Roberts Space Industries
The "Add to Calendar" button on the official page gives exact times for the IAE 2956 Free Fly: it starts at 16:00 UTC (11:00 ET / 08:00 PT) on November 13 and ends at 20:00 UTC (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT) on November 27. The countdown timer on the same page runs out at 16:00 UTC on the 13th too. If you're in Europe, that's 17:00 CET at the start and 21:00 CET at the end.
Here are the dates in one place:
| What | When (2026) |
|---|---|
| IAE 2956 opens, free fly starts | November 13, 16:00 UTC |
| Manufacturer days | November 13–22 (two days each, overlapping) |
| Best in Show | November 22 |
| Finale, every IAE vehicle free to try | November 23–27 |
| IAE 2956 and free fly end | November 27, 20:00 UTC |
Where is IAE 2956 held?
This year the expo is in New Babbage, the snowy landing zone on microTech in the Stanton system. CIG calls it "the technological hub of Stanton." If you're a free-fly player, pick New Babbage as your starting location when you create your character. You'll start next to the show instead of spending your first hour on quantum travel.
Ships are picked from show-floor kiosks. CIG's page promises every attendee can:
- "Try out over 200 ships and ground vehicles for free! Take your pick via the show floor kiosks"
- "Discover the latest spacecraft from the 'verse's finest manufacturers"
- "Pick up exclusive IAE armor, vehicle paints, and in-game items"
IAE 2956 schedule: which manufacturer is on which day?
CIG published the schedule as a graphic titled "Pledge & Free Rental Schedule." Each manufacturer gets a two-day slot, and the slots overlap by one day. That means two manufacturers are featured on most days.
| Dates | Show days | Featured manufacturers |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 13–14 | Day 1–2 | Roberts Space Industries (RSI) |
| Nov 14–15 | Day 2–3 | Origin Jumpworks |
| Nov 15–16 | Day 3–4 | Anvil Aerospace |
| Nov 16–17 | Day 4–5 | Crusader Industries, Tumbril |
| Nov 17–18 | Day 5–6 | Drake Interplanetary |
| Nov 18–19 | Day 6–7 | ARGO Astronautics, Consolidated Outland, Greycat Industrial, Grey's Market |
| Nov 19–20 | Day 7–8 | Kruger Intergalactic, Mirai, MISC |
| Nov 20–21 | Day 8–9 | Aegis Dynamics |
| Nov 21–22 | Day 9–10 | Aopoa, Banu, Esperia, Gatac |
| Nov 22 | Day 10 | Best in Show |
| Nov 23–27 | Day 11–15 | Finale: "Last chance to try all IAE vehicles for free" |
How to use it: if you want to try a specific ship, wait for its manufacturer's day. That's when its hall is set up, and the graphic's name suggests that's also when it's offered as a free rental. On the Finale days you can try anything from the whole show, so if you're unsure what to fly, you can wait until November 23 and compare everything back to back.
What new ships are coming to IAE 2956?
CIG hasn't published the vehicle list yet. The comm-link says to "check back as the show approaches to get the full lineup of ships and ground vehicles you can obtain and try," so expect the details to come out one manufacturer at a time.
The countdown video has set r/starcitizen off anyway. Players have been pausing it frame by frame and naming the ships they think they see. The RSI Galaxy and the Anvil Liberator carrier are the most talked about, along with a large Drake ship and a Gatac ship. Leakers and frame-by-frame guesses have been wrong before. Until a ship shows up on CIG's own manufacturer page, treat it as unconfirmed.
Two more things to know before you spend money:
- A new ship being revealed doesn't mean you can fly it. Concept ships are sold before they're flyable, sometimes years before. Look for the "flight ready" status on the ship's page before you count on testing it.
- Pledge prices only come from the RSI pledge store. Prices change during IAE, so don't trust a figure from a forum, a wiki, or a reseller.
How do you play Star Citizen for free during IAE?
Free Fly is the only way to play Star Citizen without buying a Game Package. RSI's Knowledge Base explains how it works:
"During this time period, players will not require a Game Package on their RSI account to login and play on the Star Citizen Alpha Test servers. A basic ship is provided to everyone so that they have some means of exploring the stars, with the exact model provided varying by event." — RSI Knowledge Base: Does Star Citizen offer a free trial?
Do it in this order:
- Make a free account on robertsspaceindustries.com. You can do this now.
- Check that your PC can run it using the specs below. This is where most first-timers get stuck.
- On November 13, follow the Free Fly link. RSI says it links a Free Fly page from the comm-link and publishes a Free Fly Knowledge Base article for every event. Do any sign-up step it lists while you're logged in. If the launcher shows "Missing a Game Package," your account doesn't have Free Fly access yet.
- Download the RSI Launcher, install Star Citizen and start the LIVE build. Choose New Babbage as your home location.
- Go to the show floor and use the kiosks to pick ships. The basic ship CIG gives you is only for getting around.
The comm-link doesn't mention a referral code or extra paid step, so you don't need one to play free.
Can your PC run Star Citizen?
These are CIG's official requirements from the Minimum System Requirements article (updated September 2026):
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 (latest service pack) | Windows 10 / Windows 11 |
| CPU | Quad core, Intel i7 Haswell or later / AMD Excavator or later | Quad/eight core, Intel i7 Haswell or later / AMD Ryzen 5 or later |
| GPU | DirectX 11.1, 4 GB VRAM | DirectX 12, 8 GB VRAM |
| RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 150+ GB SSD required | 150+ GB SSD required |
Your CPU also needs AVX, AVX2 and FMA3 support, and your GPU needs drivers that support Direct3D 11.1 and Vulkan 1.2. Windows is the only supported platform. RSI says Star Citizen "is not available for macOS or Linux," and it isn't on console. If you only have 16 GB of RAM, close your browser before you launch. Our Star Citizen best settings for FPS guide covers the settings that matter most on a minimum-spec PC.
Which Star Citizen patch will IAE 2956 run on?
As of November 7, 2026, the LIVE build is Alpha 4.10.2, which went live on October 9. Alpha 4.10.3 is on the PTU (Public Test Universe). Its latest build, 4.10.3-PTU.13132336, went to all waves on November 6, and its testing focus includes "IAE (On accelerated schedule)", according to the 4.10.3 PTU patch notes on Spectrum. CIG is testing the expo inside 4.10.3, so the show will probably run on that patch. CIG still hasn't given a 4.10.3 LIVE date, though.
4.10.3 is also the patch with the Vanduul Incursion InterSec missions and the LBCO Skarnov rifle. If you're a backer, our Vanduul Incursion guide explains how that contract chain works.
What about Alpha 5.0? In its November 4 Roadmap Roundup, CIG renamed Alpha 4.11 to Alpha 5.0 "reflecting the significance of the new technologies and features coming together in this release." That patch brings Nyx I, Contract Boards and Guild Halls, and DGS Planet Subdivision server meshing. Its first PTU build (13119881) opened to Wave 1 on November 5 and has already closed. There's no 5.0 LIVE date, and nothing links 5.0 to IAE. Don't expect to play Nyx I during the free fly. Nyx II and Nyx III have also moved back, and are now tentatively planned for Alpha 5.1.
What should a free-fly player do at IAE?
Fifteen free days is a lot of time. Here's a plan that lets you test the ships you're curious about and still see what the game is like:
- Days 1–2 (Nov 13–14): get set up, then fly RSI. Expect launch-day load. If you hit a 30k disconnect or get stuck on a loading screen, our 30k error fix guide and infinite loading screen fix have the official fixes. Often a full client restart is enough.
- Days 3–9: follow the manufacturers you care about. The cheapest game packages are built around the RSI Aurora and the Consolidated Outland Mustang, so starter-ship shoppers should watch the RSI (Nov 13–14) and Consolidated Outland (Nov 18–19) days. Our best starter ship guide narrows down which ships are worth trying first.
- Try a real gameplay loop, not just a ship. Take a cargo run, a bounty or a salvage contract. Paid Star Citizen is about the work you do, not just the ship you fly. Our aUEC money-making guide shows which loops a new pilot can start without much money.
- Finale (Nov 23–27): compare everything. Every IAE vehicle is open, so this is the time to fly the shortlist from earlier days back to back before you decide whether to buy.
What happens to your progress after the free fly ends?
When the free fly ends at 20:00 UTC on November 27, a free account without its own Game Package can't log in any more. RSI's launcher article calls out exactly this case ("Returning after a Free Fly") as one of the main reasons players suddenly see the "Missing a Game Package" message.
Keep two other things in mind:
- aUEC is test currency. You can earn it during the free fly, but CIG can wipe aUEC and anything bought with it at any patch, with no refund. The last full wipe was Alpha 4.8 on May 14, 2026. CIG hasn't said whether 5.0 will wipe anything, so don't treat an aUEC balance as something you'll keep.
- Don't buy aUEC or accounts from third parties. RSI's Terms of Service ban gathering in-game resources for sale outside the game, paid power-leveling, and selling or transferring RSI accounts. Penalties are at RSI's discretion and can include account termination.
If you don't already own a Game Package and decide to buy, the RSI pledge store's game packages are the official way in. If you already have older pledges, read our Game Access pledge explainer before you melt or upgrade anything.
How does IAE 2956 compare with the last free fly?
The previous free window was the Ship Showdown 2956 Elite 8 free fly, which ran for about a week at the end of August and only included eight community-voted ships. You can see how it worked in our August free fly guide. IAE is much bigger: 15 days instead of about 7, and over 200 ships and ground vehicles instead of 8. CIG bills it as "the biggest ship show in the 'verse." If you've been waiting for the best time to try Star Citizen for free, this is it.
FAQ
When does IAE 2026 start in Star Citizen? IAE 2956 starts on November 13, 2026 at 16:00 UTC (11:00 ET / 08:00 PT), per the calendar entry on RSI's official IAE page. The free fly ends on November 27 at 20:00 UTC.
Is Star Citizen free during IAE 2956? Yes. CIG's comm-link says you can play "FOR FREE throughout the entire event," from November 13 to November 27, 2026. You need a free RSI account and a Windows PC that meets the minimum specs. You don't need a Game Package during the event.
What ships can you try at IAE 2026? CIG says over 200 ships and ground vehicles, picked from the show-floor kiosks. Each manufacturer has its own two-day slot, starting with RSI on November 13–14, and the Finale from November 23 to 27 opens every IAE vehicle. CIG hasn't published the full vehicle list or confirmed new ships yet.
Where is IAE 2956 held? In New Babbage on microTech, in the Stanton system. Choose New Babbage as your home location when you create a character so you start next to the show.
When is Best in Show, and when are Best in Show paints given out? Best in Show is on November 22. RSI's paint Knowledge Base lists "IAE Best in Show" liveries as pledge paint upgrades from past expos, but CIG hasn't published the 2956 Best in Show rules, including who gets a paint and when. Wait for the official post before you apply an upgrade to a ship you're hoping to get a paint for.
Will Alpha 5.0 be live for IAE? Nothing says it will. Alpha 5.0 (renamed from 4.11 on November 4) had its first Wave 1 PTU on November 5 and has no LIVE date. IAE itself is being tested on the Alpha 4.10.3 PTU, and LIVE is still 4.10.2 as of November 7.
Do you keep your progress after the free fly? A free account without a Game Package can't log in again after 20:00 UTC on November 27. Any aUEC you earned is test currency that CIG can wipe at any patch with no refund.
More Star Citizen help: money loops, ship picks, patch notes and error fixes for the current Alpha, all in one place.
