Ship missile launcher

In order to fire missles, you need both to load a launcher and the corresponding missle pack. Missle launchers have several stats listed, but in actual use, the 3 of importance are the energy drain, mass, and of course the level.

A little unusual in that Mark IV missels are a level 8 cert, whereas Mark IV stuff is usually level 7.
 * Certification Level'

Importantly, any weapon overload routines that you run also affect missles by the same amount they affect blasters. So a low number here will save on your energy needs. A Mk 3 Proton launcher with a drain under 950 is high quality, but anything under 1000 is good.
 * Reactor Energy Drain

Tubes can get heavy, but worth it.
 * Mass

When you're grinding, Proton Launchers provide a good balance between damage and lock time. They are also easily available, cheap, and available by the crate (Misc: Factory Crate: Mark II Proton Pack, for example). The Mark II Protons are a level 3 cert and can have a max dmg of over 3k. Mk III Protons are the workhorse of pve piloting; they can have devestating damage, weight in under 6k mass, and are easily available. For PVP, many, if not most players who equip missels (and on some servers missels are used infrequently), equip Image Recs. IR's have the shortest lock time of any missel in the game, and that is going to be the #1 priority in pvp; Well built player ships make the maneuverability of even the best npc ships look like a snail trapped in molasses.
 * Buying Guide

Specialty missles include the spacebomb, concussion. These can be used in pve against big, slow targets (gunboats).