Mission marker disappeared
Check radar power. For cave bounties and scan-dependent missions, do not drop radar to zero.
Ship systems sanity checks
Star Citizen Ship Power and Radar Troubleshooting
If a mission marker disappears, the cockpit is confusing, or the ship feels wrong, check power and radar before assuming the mission is broken.
Common Beginner Fixes
Prepare to engage but nothing happens
Slow down, scan the area, check radar, and verify whether the target is inside a cave or underground location rather than at the surface marker.
Power management
Use MFD power controls until hotkeys feel natural. Keep life support and radar on, then bias shields/weapons for combat or flight/shields for escape.
Torque imbalance
If the ship reports torque imbalance but looks undamaged, check thruster state, power, landing mode, and whether the ship is physically obstructed before claiming a full bug.
Cockpit lights
Cycling ship power may not turn off every cockpit light. Some lights are tied to ship state, not a simple cabin-light switch.
Holster weapon
If a weapon will not holster as expected, stop interacting with panels, step away from clutter, and use your current keybinds or interaction wheel rather than panic-clicking.
Safe Beginner Power Presets
Travel and scanning
Keep radar high, flight comfortable, shields moderate, weapons low, and life support on.
Combat
Bias shields and weapons higher, keep enough flight control to maneuver, and leave radar powered enough to maintain awareness.
Escape
Bias flight and shields, lower weapons, keep radar and life support active, and leave the area before troubleshooting deeply.
New account setup
Apply the referral before signup, then use this page when first-mission confusion hits.