Salvage lets players recover valuable materials, cargo, weapons, and components from damaged or abandoned ships. A profitable run depends on the target, contract fee, salvage ship, material type, cargo capacity, processing time, and selected selling terminal.
This Star Citizen salvage guide explains the full loop, from finding a wreck to scraping RMC, processing the remaining structure, and selling each recovered asset.
Beginner recommendation: Choose the RSI Salvation for the lowest entry point, the Drake Vulture for balanced solo salvage, and the MISC Fortune for easier cargo handling.
How Salvage Works
Salvage is more than scraping the outer hull. A complete run has three sources of value.
Cargo and components come first. A wreck may contain commodity containers, weapons, shields, coolers, power plants, and quantum drives. Recovering useful items before processing the hull prevents them from being destroyed during structural salvage.
Hull scraping creates Recycled Material Composite, commonly called RMC. Salvage beams remove material from the outer surface and send it into the ship’s processing buffer. The onboard filling station packages the processed RMC into SCU crates.
Structural salvage processes the remaining frame. The ship fractures the wreck into smaller sections, then disintegrates those sections into raw construction material.
The official Salvage and Repair Guide covers salvage ships, hull scraping, structural salvage, RMC, repair tools, and recovered materials.
The most efficient order is:
- Scan the wreck and confirm that it can be salvaged legally.
- Inspect the interior and cargo grid.
- Remove valuable cargo, weapons, and components.
- Scrape high-yield hull sections for RMC.
- Empty the processing buffer onto the secured cargo grid.
- Fracture and disintegrate the remaining structure.
- Sell or refine each recovered material through a compatible terminal.
Following this order protects valuable equipment and prevents the structural fracture from destroying recoverable items.
Salvage Contracts and Wreck Locations
Players can obtain salvage targets through mobiGlas contracts or locate wreckage without paying for a claim.
Paid salvage contracts provide the position of a known wreck. They reduce search time and support reputation progression with salvage organizations such as Adagio Holdings. Higher reputation can open access to larger targets and more valuable assignments.
The contract fee creates a fixed cost before the run begins. Read the description before accepting. Check the target ship, location, legal status, time limit, and expected travel distance.
Legal contracts give the player salvage rights to a specific ship. Illegal assignments may offer different targets but can involve trespass zones, security response, timers, and CrimeStat exposure. A high-value wreck may not cover the legal and financial risk when the available processing time is short.
Contract example: A paid claim makes sense when the wreck is close, large enough for the selected ship, and likely to cover the fee. A free panel field removes the contract cost but may require a longer search.
Salvage panels and abandoned ships offer another route. Panels can appear around asteroid fields and Lagrange-point regions. Their signatures may indicate the number of nearby pieces, letting experienced pilots ignore weak groups and approach denser clusters.
Destroyed and abandoned ships can appear near combat sites, stations, outposts, and other busy locations. Scan an intact ship before touching it. Active shields block hull scraping, and processing another player’s ship without valid rights can result in fines or CrimeStat.
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Best Ships for Salvage
The 2026 salvage lineup covers compact entry ships, solo industrial vessels, a medium crew platform, and the large Reclaimer.
| Ship | Recommended crew | Cargo capacity | Best role | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSI Salvation | 1 | 6 SCU | Entry-level salvage | Very limited capacity |
| Drake Vulture | 1 | 12 SCU secured plus buffer | Balanced solo salvage | Frequent cargo management |
| MISC Fortune | 1 | 16 SCU secured plus 13 SCU buffer | Convenient solo processing | Slower default scraping |
| ARGO MOTH | 3-4 | 224 SCU | Small-crew salvage | Inefficient solo scraping |
| Aegis Reclaimer | 4-5 | 420 SCU cargo hold | Heavy industrial salvage | High operating and crew requirements |
RSI Salvation
The RSI Salvation is the smallest dedicated salvage ship. It carries 6 SCU and focuses on accessible single-pilot recovery.
Its onboard system processes recovered material into cargo containers without requiring constant movement between the cockpit and filling station. This makes the basic loop easy to learn, but the small cargo capacity leads to frequent selling trips.
The Salvation suits players testing salvage before investing in a Vulture or Fortune.
Drake Vulture
The Drake Vulture remains the best balanced solo salvage ship. One pilot controls flight, scanning, hull scraping, structural salvage, and the processing system.
Its secured grid holds 12 SCU. The internal buffer and remaining cargo space allow a larger total load, but boxes stored outside the grid require more handling and may block access through the rear compartment.
The Vulture is large enough for profitable contracts but compact enough for independent operation. This makes it the main recommendation in a Star Citizen Vulture guide.
MISC Fortune
The MISC Fortune provides an alternative solo workflow. It has external autoloading grids, a small rear cargo grid, and a 13 SCU processing buffer.
Automatic crate placement reduces manual cargo work during the run. The ship has more quantum fuel and a stronger hull than the Vulture, but its default scraping setup works at a lower rate.
Choose the Fortune for convenient processing and longer trips. Choose the Vulture for stronger scraping speed and better handling.
ARGO MOTH
The ARGO MOTH fills the gap between light salvage ships and the Reclaimer. It carries 224 SCU across two external autoloading grids and a rear cargo lift.
Pilot-controlled structural salvage lets the ship fracture and disintegrate wrecks without leaving the flight seat. Hull scraping uses separate crew stations, making a crew of three or four more productive than a solo operator.
The MOTH fits organized groups that have outgrown the Vulture but do not want the scale and internal travel time of the Reclaimer.
Aegis Reclaimer
The Aegis Reclaimer is a heavy industrial platform with a 420 SCU cargo hold, multiple salvage stations, a large processing system, and space for recovered components.
Its size supports long operations and large wrecks. It carries far more material than a light salvager, but cargo sorting, ship positioning, station access, and movement between decks add time.
One player can operate the Reclaimer by changing seats, but a crew can divide piloting, scraping, processing, cargo handling, and security.
Required Tools and Equipment
A salvage-capable ship handles hull scraping and structural processing. Personal tools remain necessary for cargo movement, component recovery, and small repairs.
A Multi-Tool with a TruHold tractor attachment can move small crates and detachable components. The MaxLift tractor beam handles heavier items and gives the player more flexibility around larger cargo boxes.
The Cambio-Lite SRT attachment supports small-scale hull scraping and repair. Collected RMC canisters are mainly useful for repairing ship surfaces. Selling individual filled canisters does not form a practical income loop.
Carry a suit, helmet, medical supplies, and a tractor tool during every salvage run. Entering a wreck may expose the player to vacuum, damaged interiors, floating debris, and unstable physics.
Check the tractor tool before accepting a contract. Filling the onboard buffer without a way to move the generated crates can stop the run.
Hull Scraping and Material Collection
Hull scraping removes the outer material from a wreck and converts it into RMC. Enter salvage mode, select the scraping function, and aim the beams at an eligible hull section.
The salvage HUD shows the condition and remaining yield of the targeted surface. Work across sections with strong material density, then move when the return begins dropping. Spending several minutes cleaning a nearly depleted panel reduces the value of the full session.
Large flat surfaces are easier to scrape than narrow frames, engines, and irregular structures. Position the ship at a stable distance where both beams can reach the target without constant corrections.
Processed RMC enters the internal buffer. When the buffer approaches its limit, visit the filling station and eject a cargo crate. Move the container onto the secured grid with a tractor beam before generating the next one.
The Vulture requires repeated trips between the cockpit and cargo compartment. The Fortune and MOTH reduce this workload through automatic crate placement. The Reclaimer can generate and store much larger volumes, but needs dedicated cargo management during a long operation.
Do not begin structural salvage before checking the wreck’s cargo and components. Fracturing destroys parts left inside the target.
RMC and Structural Salvage Materials
Recycled Material Composite
RMC is created through hull scraping. It can be packaged into SCU containers, sold as a commodity, or kept for repair work.
RMC value makes hull condition relevant. A large ship with a damaged or depleted surface may provide less material than a smaller wreck with intact panels. Contract price and ship size alone do not reveal the likely scraping return.
RMC does not require standard refinery processing before sale. Transport it to a compatible commodity market or TDD.
Rubble, Pieces, and Salvage
Structural salvage begins after the most useful hull material and components have been removed. The salvage ship fractures the target, then disintegrates the separated sections.
Current structural output can appear in three raw forms:
Rubble has high density, low refining yield, and short processing time. Pieces provide a middle balance. Salvage has lower density, higher refining yield, and longer processing time.
These materials can be sold raw through compatible terminals or sent through a refinery. The better choice depends on the load size, current prices, processing cost, available cargo ship, and time.
Cargo, Weapons, and Components
Some wrecks carry commodity containers that may be worth more than the processed hull. Scan the cargo before deciding how much time to spend scraping.
Weapons and detachable ship components can be removed with a tractor tool. Their sale value depends on condition, type, market support, and whether the item remains functional.
Cargo space creates a tradeoff. A large component may be valuable, but it can occupy space that would otherwise hold several containers of RMC.
Cargo Storage and Risk Management
Salvage combines material processing with physical cargo work. Every generated crate needs a valid place in the ship.
Cargo attached to the secured grid is easier to transport and sell. Loose crates may move during flight, block doors, interfere with the filling station, or fail to appear correctly at a terminal.
Cargo example: A Vulture pilot can return after filling the grid and buffer, preserving a clean exit and safer sale. Packing extra containers around the walkway increases each trip’s capacity but adds loading time and physical risk.
Do not generate another container when there is no safe space near the filling station. A blocked output area can leave the processing system unusable until the cargo is moved.
Contract timers and nearby players create further pressure. A full salvage ship is slow, lightly defended, and attractive to pirates. Check radar between scraping passes and keep a clear quantum route.
Salvaging near monitored zones requires extra care. Ownership, shields, power state, contract rights, and local security rules affect whether the target can be processed legally.
Where to Sell Salvaged Materials
Different salvage outputs follow separate sale routes.
RMC is commonly sold through Trade and Development Division terminals in major landing zones. Area18, Lorville, New Babbage, and Orison are common destinations. The terminal needs access to the ship or cargo source containing the material.
Raw structural salvage may be accepted by compatible ore or refinery terminals. Refining converts it into a more useful construction commodity, but adds a processing fee and waiting period.
Recovered cargo follows normal commodity rules. Check which market purchases each item before choosing a destination. Legal cargo, restricted goods, and contraband may require different terminals.
Weapons and ship components go to compatible equipment shops. A store may sell the same item without buying the recovered version, so check terminal support before reserving cargo space for a large component.
A good sale route considers the full hold. Flying to one destination for RMC and another for a small component may add more travel time than the second item is worth.
Expected Costs and Profit
Salvage income comes from material sales, recovered cargo, components, and any contract payout. Costs include the claim fee, ship rental, fuel, repairs, tractor equipment, and travel time.
Use this calculation before accepting an expensive contract:
Net profit = RMC sales + structural material sales + recovered cargo + components + contract payout – claim fee – fuel – repairs
A free wreck removes the claim fee but increases search time. A paid contract gives a known target and supports reputation, but the recovered value needs to exceed the upfront cost.
Target selection has a larger effect than scraping every visible surface. A nearby medium wreck with intact cargo may beat a distant large target with depleted hull material.
Cargo handling affects profit per hour as much as beam speed. A ship with an efficient processing layout can finish more complete runs, despite carrying less material than a larger vessel.
Players lacking starting capital for contracts, rentals, and cargo preparation can buy aUEC for salvage equipment through manual delivery.