Legal salvage missions in Star Citizen 4.7.2 look slow at first, especially after the reputation reset. We start from the lower tiers again, the payouts look tiny, and it is easy to assume the early contracts are just reputation filler.

After testing them around Hurston in Stanton, though, our opinion changed quickly. Some legal salvage targets can spawn with surprisingly valuable cargo, and Star Citizen  ships are absolutely worth stopping for. The big lesson is simple: do not judge these missions by the contract payout alone. The real money is often inside the cargo hold.

• How Legal Salvage Cargo Works in 4.7.2
• Best Mission Tiers for Cargo Profit
• 2,000 aUEC Missions: Only for Early Progression
• 5,000 aUEC Missions: First Tier Worth Checking
• 10,000 aUEC Missions: Best Solo Tier
• 100,000 aUEC Missions: Strong, But Better With Friends
• Best Ships to Stop For
• Solo and Crew Recommendations
• Practical Loot Rules
• FAQ
• What is the best legal salvage mission tier in Star Citizen 4.7.2?
• Are 5,000 aUEC salvage missions worth doing?
• What cargo should I prioritize?
• Is the Hull C really that profitable?
• Are 100k missions worth it solo?
• Where should I test these missions?
• Summary

↖ How Legal Salvage Cargo Works in 4.7.2

The cargo in these missions does not feel fully random. From our testing, each tier seems to pull from a fairly fixed pool of commodities, while the amount of cargo changes from mission to mission.

That means one Argo Raft may be decent, while another can be a mini-jackpot. The material pool is familiar, but the quantity is what makes or breaks the run.

For testing, Hurston was the easiest area because the travel time between nearby Lagrange points is shorter. The same mission types can appear elsewhere, but shorter routes make repeated testing much less painful.

↖ Best Mission Tiers for Cargo Profit

Not every tier is worth farming for cargo. Some are mainly there to push reputation, while others can pay much better than the mission fee suggests.

↖ 2,000 aUEC Missions: Only for Early Progression

The 2k missions are fine when we are starting from zero, but they are not exciting for money.

The Hull A can carry a fair amount, but the cargo we found was mostly waste and potassium. It fills space, but it does not fill the wallet.

If you are still neutral, run these only until better contracts unlock.

↖ 5,000 aUEC Missions: First Tier Worth Checking

The 5k tier is where legal salvage starts to feel worth your time. The standout ship here is the Argo Raft.

A good Raft can carry cargo worth several hundred thousand aUEC, which is excellent for a mission that only costs 5,000 aUEC.

If you see a Raft, inspect it before treating the mission as simple salvage. This is the first point where the grind starts paying back.

↖ 10,000 aUEC Missions: Best Solo Tier

The 10k tier is the main target for solo cargo hunters. This is where we started seeing titanium, and titanium changes the math.

The ships in this tier vary a lot. Some are barely worth checking, while others can completely change the run.

The Hull C is the reason this tier is so good. In our tests, it could hold thousands of SCU. If a strong portion of that is titanium, the theoretical value can climb into the millions.

For solo players, the main issue is not finding the money. It is moving it. A C2 Hercules only holds 696 SCU, so if you find a loaded Hull C, prioritize titanium first and leave lower-value cargo behind if needed.

↖ 100,000 aUEC Missions: Strong, But Better With Friends

The 100k missions unlock at Senior Contractor. They can be profitable, but the higher fee means cargo alone does not always beat the 10k tier.

These ships are worth checking, but the real value comes when you combine cargo recovery with salvage.

If one player brings a cargo ship and another brings a Vulture or Reclaimer, the mission becomes much stronger. The cargo pays part of the bill, and the wreck itself can add a large salvage payout.

For solo play, we still prefer the 10k tier. For a small crew, the 100k tier makes more sense.

↖ Best Ships to Stop For

If you want to save time, focus on the ships that have shown the best cargo potential.

The quick rule: Raft early, Hull C later, Taurus whenever you see it.

If you are short on time, do not fully process every wreck. Check the cargo first, make a value call, then decide whether to salvage.

↖ Solo and Crew Recommendations

Legal salvage plays very differently depending on whether you are alone or running with a group.

For solo players, cargo space is the biggest limit. A loaded Hull C can have more cargo than one ship can handle, so do not waste time moving cheap materials. Take the best cargo first.

For crews, legal salvage becomes much more efficient. One person can strip the wreck while another moves cargo, which keeps the whole operation productive.

↖ Practical Loot Rules

A few simple rules make this loop much easier to run:

• If you find titanium, take it first.
• If you find an Argo Raft in a 5k mission, always check the cargo.
• If you find a Hull C in a 10k mission, treat it as a jackpot.
• If the cargo is mostly waste or potassium, move on unless you need reputation.
• If you are running 100k missions solo, make sure you are earning from both cargo and salvage.
• If your cargo hold is limited, value per SCU matters more than total SCU.

This is why the 10k tier feels so strong. The fee is low, titanium is valuable, and the Hull C can produce huge upside.

↖ FAQ

↖ What is the best legal salvage mission tier in Star Citizen 4.7.2?

For solo players, the 10,000 aUEC tier is the best overall. It has low entry cost, valuable cargo like titanium, and the chance to find a loaded Hull C.

↖ Are 5,000 aUEC salvage missions worth doing?

Yes. The Argo Raft can spawn with around 100–120 SCU of aluminum, copper, and tin, making the 5k tier much better than it first looks.

↖ What cargo should I prioritize?

Prioritize titanium first. After that, nitrogen and iron are good secondary choices. In the 5k tier, aluminum, copper, and tin are worth taking.

↖ Is the Hull C really that profitable?

Yes, if you get a good cargo spawn. In our tests, the Hull C carried around 1,500–2,500 SCU. The challenge is cargo capacity, not value.

↖ Are 100k missions worth it solo?

They can be, but they are usually better with a crew. Solo players may get better value from 10k missions unless they plan to salvage the wreck as well as recover cargo.

↖ Where should I test these missions?

We tested mostly around Hurston because the travel routes are shorter and easier to repeat. That makes it a good area for grinding reputation and checking multiple contracts quickly.

↖ Summary

Legal salvage cargo in Star Citizen 4.7.2 is worth paying attention to. The early 2k missions are mostly for reputation, but the 5k tier becomes profitable when an Argo Raft appears.

The best solo money is in the 10k tier, mainly because of titanium and the chance to find a loaded MISC Hull C. The 100k tier is still good, but it shines more when a crew can combine cargo recovery with proper salvage.

If you want the cleanest path, unlock 5k missions, check every Raft, then push to 10k missions and hunt for Hull C contracts. That is where legal salvage starts feeling less like a grind and more like a proper treasure hunt in the ‘verse.