There are several missions you can accept outside of the main story ones in Starfield. You can hunt down pirates, send supplies to an outpost, transport passengers across the galaxy, or aid anyone who needs it. There are some more illegal missions you can also find as you progress through the game, such as Smuggling.
The way you go about Smuggling in Starfield is not easy. You need to use a specific ship before accepting these missions, and even then, things could go awry if you’re not careful. Unfortunately, finding Smuggling missions can be a challenge. Here’s what you need to know about how to find Smuggling Missions in Starfield.
Related: Starfield: How to Get Shielded Cargo Holds to Smuggle Contraband
Where to Find Smuggling Missions & Quest Boards in Starfield
For my time playing Starfield, the most reliable location where I could track down smuggling missions was by visiting the heart of the Crimson Fleet: The Key. You can find this space station in the Kyrx system, a level 30 star system that is surrounded by Crimson Fleet ships. If you enter this area and are not affiliated with the Crimson Fleet, every ship in this region will be hostile to you, and you’ll have to fight them off. Even if you do get through them, you can’t enter The Key. The only way you can do that is by joining the Crimson Fleet, which involves a specific questline involving the UC Vigilance.
After you’ve completed the honorary mission for the Crimson Fleet, Echoes of the Past, and you’ve been accepted as one of their members, you can freely explore The Key to your heart’s content. You’ll want to make your way over to the Mission Terminals on this space station, and there should be Smuggling Missions that you can accept. Your Starfield character can choose to take these on, completing the Smuggling runs and earning a good amount of money.
Unfortunately, it is a requirement that you take a ship with a Shielded Cargo Hold to hide any contraband from security scanners. A Shielded Cargo Hold can trick a scanner into thinking there’s no contraband on board your Starfield ship. If you don’t have this feature, you can still accept Smuggling Missions, but they’re likely doomed for failure, and you’ll be caught with the contraband.
Related: Starfield: How to Smuggle Contraband Items
Although Smuggling requires a few upfront costs from your Starfield character and a handful of perks you should use to aid you in these missions, but they offer a good amount of money as a reward to you. Outside of the Crimson Fleet quest boards, I have yet to find any other way to unlock Smuggling Missions, but they could occur with other criminals you find while exploring the galaxy in Starfield.
