Star Citizen Hull B Guide: Cargo, Crew, Price & Solo

The MISC Hull B is now a flight-ready dedicated cargo ship rather than a concept waiting for release. Current Alpha 4.10.1 vehicle data gives it 512 SCU of cargo capacity, a Crew 2 listing, 145 m/s SCM speed, and a current tracked MSRP of $280. Its defining feature is the X-shaped external cargo spindle: the Hull B can carry far more freight than most medium haulers while still landing planetside fully loaded.

That specialization is also the main compromise. The Hull B is built around moving containers, not carrying vehicles or turning its cargo deck into general-purpose mission space. Its freight remains externally accessible, loading hundreds of SCU still takes work, and a second player makes the tractor-beam and defensive workflow more useful. For players who want a serious solo-or-duo freight ship without moving into Hull C-scale logistics, however, the Hull B occupies an unusually useful position.

Hull B Specifications in Alpha 4.10.1

Specification	Current Hull B
Manufacturer	MISC — Musashi Industrial and Starflight Concern
Role	Medium Freight / dedicated transport
Status	Flight Ready; Hull B card set to Released for Alpha 4.7
Cargo capacity	512 SCU
Cargo-grid data	16 external grid sections, 32 SCU capacity per section
Maximum supported container size	Up to 32 SCU according to CIG's April 2026 Q&A; the current API separately reports a 16-SCU Box Size field — see source note below
Current crew listing	2
Practical crew	1–2 players; editorial estimate based on current solo and copilot functionality
Current live dimensions	71 × 16.7 × 10.7 m
SCM speed	145 m/s
NAV / maximum speed	960 m/s
Total shield value	14,400 HP
Missiles	8
Assigned hangar	Medium
Current tracked MSRP	$280

Current Alpha 4.10.1 vehicle data supports the 512 SCU total, Crew 2, dimensions, speeds, shield pool, missile count, MSRP, and sixteen cargo-grid sections. Each grid section is recorded with 32 SCU of capacity, but the same record currently exposes a Box Size value of 16 SCU. CIG's April 2026 Hull B Q&A separately states that the ship supports containers up to 32 SCU. Because those two descriptions do not align perfectly, the verified 512-SCU total and CIG's 32-SCU maximum-container statement should not be expanded into a claim that current Alpha 4.10.1 vehicle data independently proves a sixteen-by-32-SCU physical container arrangement.

The Hull B's current dimensions should also be read in the context of its changing spindle footprint. CIG specifically assigns the ship a medium hangar so there is enough room around it for cargo operations regardless of spindle state; the developers noted that a smaller hangar was technically possible when retracted but impractical for loading.

Why 512 SCU Changes the Hull B's Role

The number is large enough to move the Hull B out of ordinary medium-hauler territory.

Current vehicle data divides the 512 SCU total across sixteen external cargo-grid sections. The container-size evidence has the source discrepancy noted above, so those grid figures should not be treated as independent proof of a specific sixteen-container physical arrangement.

CIG's updated Cargo Guide places the Hull B in its higher hauling tier and explicitly describes it as a pure cargo transport that can be operated solo or with a partner handling the external tractor-beam controls.

The practical benefit is not simply revenue per trip. A larger hold allows a pilot to accept bigger hauling contracts without immediately moving to a heavy freighter, but it also makes loading efficiency more important. Filling 512 SCU with smaller containers can turn cargo handling into a much larger part of the session than flying the route itself.

The Hull B works best when the job actually rewards its capacity.

The External Cargo Spindle Is the Real Selling Point

Instead of placing 512 SCU behind a ramp or inside a conventional freight hall, MISC mounts the cargo around an expanding external spindle.

CIG's April 2026 Hull B Q&A describes that design as prioritizing open-access, tractor-beam-assisted loading. The X-shaped configuration was specifically chosen so the ship could retain practical landing gear and remain capable of landing on planetary surfaces while fully loaded.

That gives the Hull B a different workflow from an enclosed freighter.

Large containers do not need to pass through a narrow ramp or interior corridor before reaching the grid. When a cargo elevator or loading area is positioned well, the operator can work directly on the exposed spindle. For standardized freight, that can be quicker and easier to understand than packing a deep internal hold.

The compromise is protection and flexibility. CIG's own design explanation frames external access as a trade in favor of faster loading rather than maximum cargo protection. The Hull B is therefore less attractive when the payload is something you would rather keep behind an enclosed hull, or when the same space needs to carry ground vehicles and mission equipment.

For a broader comparison of dedicated haulers and multi-role cargo ships, see LTI Hangar's Best Cargo Ships in Star Citizen guide.

Can You Solo the Hull B?

Yes. The Hull B is currently designed to be operable solo, but one player does not use every part of the ship as efficiently as a two-person crew.

CIG's current Cargo Guide explicitly describes the Hull B as operable either solo or with a partner managing the external tractor-beam controls. Current vehicle data still lists Crew 2, so those two statements are best understood as different things: two is the live crew listing, while one player can still perform the core hauling role.

The pilot controls the ship's main weapons and missiles. CIG's 2026 Q&A assigns the remote defensive turret to the copilot and gives the copilot priority over the tractor-beam controls. That makes a second player useful rather than merely decorative.

For routine hauling, solo operation is therefore realistic. The bigger solo limitation is cargo labor.

Flying a 512-SCU ship alone is straightforward compared with manually moving a full 512-SCU manifest alone. The operator still has to position the ship, work both sides of the spindle where necessary, manage freight elevators, and repeat the process at the destination.

A two-player crew lets one person stay focused on the ship's tractor or defensive systems while another handles cargo positioning, handheld tractor work, or flight preparation.

So the useful distinction is not whether the Hull B can be flown solo. It can. The ownership question is whether you want to load and unload a 512-SCU dedicated freighter solo on a regular basis.

Tractor Beams Help, but Current Bugs Still Matter

The external tractor system is central to the intended workflow, but it should not be treated as frictionless.

CIG acknowledged in the release-era Q&A that pilot access to the tractor controls had a bug, while the copilot was intended to receive priority control. More importantly for a current ownership assessment, the public Issue Council mirror still lists STARC-202627 — “Hull B Can't Access Tractor Beam Turrets” as Confirmed. The mirrored record identifies the original environment as 4.7.1-live.11592622 and was still showing the issue as Confirmed when updated on September 18, 2026.

That does not prove that every Alpha 4.10.1 session reproduces the problem. It shows that an older-build Hull B tractor-beam access issue remains tracked in the public mirror without newer direct evidence establishing universal current behavior.

A handheld tractor tool therefore remains relevant equipment for a Hull B owner.

There is also a separate tracked issue, STARC-202482, involving the cargo grid being forced into its deployed state from outside the ship. Its public mirror identifies the environment as 4.7.1-live.11592622, describes the issue as under QA investigation, and reports no fixed build. As with STARC-202627, that is evidence of a tracked older-build issue rather than proof that every Alpha 4.10.1 session reproduces it.

Fully Loaded Planetary Landing Is a Major Advantage

The Hull B is the largest current Hull-series design intended to land properly while carrying its full cargo load.

That separates it from the Hull C's much more specialized large-scale freight model. The Hull B's X-shaped spindle was created specifically to preserve ground clearance and usable landing gear with cargo attached.

For actual hauling, this expands the kinds of routes the ship can serve.

A Hull B can take a 512-SCU load to locations where normal planetary landing is part of the job instead of forcing the player into a dedicated orbital transfer process. That makes it easier to use as a progression ship for conventional hauling contracts rather than as an entirely new logistics category.

Medium-hangar assignment reinforces the same role. Despite the large deployed cargo footprint, the ship remains within the infrastructure tier used by many smaller freight ships rather than requiring a heavy-ship hangar for every normal spawn.

The downside is that fitting is not the same as effortless loading. Several 2026 community discussions describe awkward freight-elevator placement, limited medium-hangar elevator capacity, or poor tractor-beam angles when loading the Hull B. April discussions include players describing the need for multiple elevator loads, difficulty accessing both sides of the spindle from a useful parking angle, and awkward tractor placement; a September discussion likewise describes needing several elevator batches for larger missions. These are player-reported workflow observations, not an official known issue or proof that every player encounters the same friction.

Flight Characteristics Change With the Cargo Configuration

The Hull B is not simply the same ship with a visual animation when the spindle opens.

CIG states that extending the ship changes thruster positions relative to its center of mass, which changes angular rotation behavior. Cargo mass, cargo position, and cargo type can further affect how the ship flies.

Current Alpha 4.10.1 live-derived data lists 145 m/s SCM and a 960 m/s NAV / maximum speed.

Those numbers fit its job. This is a transport that should reach the destination and avoid unnecessary fighting rather than chase combat ships.

The Hull B also has a larger-than-average quantum-fuel provision for its size according to CIG's 2026 design Q&A, which suits a ship expected to spend much of its operating time moving cargo between distant destinations. Exact fuel and quantum-balance values can change between patches, so the ownership case is stronger when based on the intended range profile rather than one fuel number from a particular build.

Weapons and Defense

The Hull B has enough weaponry to avoid being completely helpless, but combat is not a reason to choose it.

Current live-derived data records eight missiles, 14,400 total shield HP, and more than 2,100 theoretical pilot-weapon DPS before sustained-fire limitations. Current ship records also show two forward Size 3 gun hardpoints and a dorsal remote turret with two additional Size 3 hardpoints.

The division of control is important. The pilot gets the main weapons and missiles, while the copilot controls the remote turret according to CIG's April 2026 Hull B Q&A.

A solo pilot therefore retains meaningful forward firepower, but loses the extra coverage provided by a second operator.

That is acceptable for a freighter whose better defensive strategy is usually leaving the fight.

External cargo also makes prolonged combat a particularly poor trade. A player carrying hundreds of SCU has far more at stake than the weapon DPS number suggests. Route selection, situational awareness, escorts on valuable runs, and avoiding predictable exposure points do more for cargo survival than trying to turn the Hull B into a gunship.

Interior and Long-Haul Ownership

Despite the cargo being external, the Hull B is not a cockpit attached to a freight rack.

CIG's April 2026 Q&A describes the current ship as having full habitation for extended operation, including a mess area and toilet facilities. Core ship components are accessible from inside for management and repair.

That interior matters because the Hull B is meant to be a real long-haul working ship.

A solo pilot or two-person crew can remain aboard between cargo legs with the habitation facilities expected from the current design. The cabin supports the transport role without consuming most of the hull with recreational or multi-role space that would compete with cargo capacity.

What it does not provide is the flexibility of a conventional internal cargo bay.

The Hull B is not the ship to choose because you want to drive a rover into the rear, move a tank, create a makeshift equipment room, or repurpose an enormous empty cargo deck when no freight contract is available. Its interior supports the crew; its exterior carries the business.

That specialization is either the reason to own it or the reason to skip it.

Hull B Price and In-Game Purchase

The current Alpha 4.10.1 Hull B vehicle record lists an MSRP of $280. That figure should be treated as the current tracked pledge value, not as proof that a particular RSI checkout option is continuously available on every date.

The more important change for gameplay ownership is that the Hull B can now be bought with aUEC.

The latest indexed ship-shop data lists the Hull B at 7,541,100 aUEC at New Deal in Lorville and 7,938,000 aUEC at Teach's Ship Shop in Levski. Those records are explicitly indexed under Alpha 4.10.0, so they are useful current acquisition references rather than permanent prices or a guarantee against later economy changes.

That makes the Hull B easier to evaluate than it was at launch. A cargo-focused player can now work toward the ship in-game instead of making the entire decision around a real-money pledge.

For permanent fleet ownership, LTI Hangar's Transport collection includes the Hull B and other freight-focused ships. These are secondary-market listings and should not be confused with RSI MSRP or in-game aUEC pricing.

Who Should Buy the Hull B?

The Hull B makes the strongest case for a player whose primary activity is cargo hauling itself.

It suits solo pilots willing to handle a substantial loading workload, two-player crews that can divide flying and cargo duties, and players progressing out of roughly 100–200 SCU freighters who want a large increase in capacity without committing to a heavy or orbital bulk freighter.

Its medium-hangar assignment and ability to land fully loaded also make it attractive when planetary freight routes remain important.

A player who repeatedly accepts large standardized hauling contracts is using almost every major part of the design.

Who Should Skip the Hull B?

Skip it if you need the cargo space to do more than carry cargo.

A player who regularly transports ground vehicles, wants freight protected inside a conventional hold, expects strong combat performance, or needs one large ship to handle several unrelated game loops will get more practical value from a multi-role internal-bay ship.

The Hull B also becomes harder to justify when most of your contracts are far below 512 SCU. Paying for capacity that rarely gets used still leaves you managing a larger ship and a more involved cargo workflow.

Finally, players who dislike manual freight handling should not assume that a large SCU number automatically makes hauling easier. The Hull B improves access to the containers, but 512 SCU remains 512 SCU of freight that must be processed somehow.

Hull B Alternatives

C2 Hercules

The C2 Hercules is the more flexible choice when cargo needs to share the ship with ground vehicles or other oversized loads.

It currently carries 696 SCU inside an enclosed, drive-through hold and provides large ramps at both ends. That makes it less specialized than the Hull B and considerably larger physically.

Choose the Hull B when dedicated freight efficiency and a medium-hangar operating profile matter more. Choose the C2 when the cargo bay needs to remain useful even when the payload is not simply standardized freight.

Read the full Star Citizen C2 Hercules Guide: Cargo, Crew, Price & Solo.

RSI Hermes

The Hermes targets a different type of medium hauling.

It gives up substantial cargo volume relative to the Hull B in exchange for speed and a design aimed at getting freight through dangerous routes more quickly. LTI Hangar's current cargo comparison lists the Hermes at 288 SCU, versus the Hull B's 512 SCU. (ltihangar.com)

Choose the Hermes when mobility is part of the hauling strategy. Choose the Hull B when freight volume per trip matters more.

Starlancer MAX

The Starlancer MAX makes more sense for players who want long-range accommodation, an internal cargo arrangement, vehicle utility, and a broader everyday role.

It carries less freight than the Hull B, but that is partly the point: the rest of the ship is designed to do more than expose the largest possible cargo grid for its class.

Choose the Starlancer MAX when you want a long-range multi-role ship that happens to haul well. Choose the Hull B when hauling is the reason the ship leaves the hangar.

Hull C

The Hull C is the logical progression only when bulk freight scale becomes the objective.

Its 4,608 SCU capacity overwhelms the Hull B, but the larger Hull operates around a specialized external-spindle and cargo-transfer workflow rather than the Hull B's ability to land normally while fully loaded. CIG's Cargo Guide lists both ships within the current hauling progression, at 512 SCU and 4,608 SCU respectively.

A Hull B owner does not need to “upgrade” to a Hull C simply because the number is larger. The two ships ask for different logistics.

Is the Hull B Worth It?

For a dedicated cargo player, the Hull B is one of the clearest freight-specialist choices between ordinary medium haulers and heavy bulk transports.

The reason is not just 512 SCU. The combination of that capacity, full-load planetary landing, medium-hangar assignment, large-container support, and solo-or-duo operation gives it a role that few current ships reproduce.

Its biggest weakness is equally clear: almost all of that value disappears if dedicated freight is not what you want to do.

A C2 offers more protected cargo and far greater vehicle flexibility. A Starlancer MAX is a broader daily ship. A Hermes emphasizes speed. The Hull B responds by spending more of its design on the job of moving containers.

Solo owners can use it, but should expect the cargo workload—not simply the flight controls—to become the limiting factor on large runs. A second player has meaningful jobs through tractor-beam and turret operation, making two-person ownership more efficient without turning multicrew into a prerequisite.

If 512-SCU hauling contracts are the gameplay you want, the Hull B earns its place. If you mainly want “a big ship with cargo,” a more flexible internal-bay transport is the safer choice.

FAQ

How much cargo does the Hull B carry?

The Hull B carries 512 SCU in current Alpha 4.10.1 live-derived data. CIG's April 2026 Q&A states that containers up to 32 SCU are supported, while the current vehicle record separately exposes a 16-SCU Box Size field. See the source-discrepancy note in the specifications section for why those fields are not treated as proof of a sixteen-by-32-SCU physical container layout.

Can you solo the Hull B?

Yes. CIG's current Cargo Guide explicitly describes the Hull B as operable solo or with a partner handling its external tractor-beam controls. Current Alpha 4.10.1 vehicle data lists Crew 2, so one player can run the core hauling loop while a second crew member improves cargo handling and defensive operation. Crew 2 should not be interpreted as a mandatory two-player minimum, nor does solo operability make the Hull B a one-person ship.

Can the Hull B land with cargo attached?

Yes. Its current X-shaped spindle was designed so the Hull B can land planetside while fully loaded. This is one of its most important advantages over larger members of the Hull family and a major reason it works as a conventional surface-capable freight ship.

What hangar does the Hull B use?

CIG assigns the Hull B a medium hangar. The developers said it can technically fit the small-hangar metric while retracted, but the smaller space was not practical for loading cargo, so owners are assigned a medium hangar instead.

How much does the Hull B cost in-game?

The latest indexed Alpha 4.10.0 shop records list the Hull B at 7,541,100 aUEC at New Deal in Lorville and 7,938,000 aUEC at Teach's Ship Shop in Levski. These are versioned acquisition records and may change with later economy updates.

What is the Hull B pledge price?

Current Alpha 4.10.1 live-derived data lists the Hull B at a $280 MSRP. That is the current tracked pledge-value figure and should not be interpreted as proof of continuous RSI storefront availability on any particular date.