- Ostranauts coffin ship: The hardest starting vessel, offering minimal life support and maximum debt pressure
- Oxygen is critical: The default Coffin lacks an air pump; you must salvage or buy one immediately to avoid suffocation
- Salvage permits: Always carry a valid permit when exploring derelicts to avoid illegal scavenging charges
- EVA suit priority: Upgrading from a basic pressure suit to a full EVA suit is your first major milestone
- Retrofit potential: Despite early struggles, the Coffin has the lowest mortgage, making it a favorite for experienced players
What Is the Coffin Ship Start?
The Ostranauts coffin ship is a notorious starting option that drops players into the void with a barely functional vessel. Often referred to as a "flying coffin" or "death shuttle," this ship lacks basic life support systems, proper oxygen tanks, and reliable atmospheric controls. Players who choose this start face immediate survival challenges, including suffocation risks, limited cargo space, and severe financial debt.
Unlike standard starter ships like the Dream or TU models, the Coffin requires you to scavenge, steal, or purchase critical components just to stay alive during your first few in-game hours. It is designed for players who want a hardcore, noir-inspired experience where every decision carries weight.
Video Highlights:
- Starting as a broke shipwrecker with a punitive mortgage
- The importance of the inventory update and fire-in-the-hole update
- Character creation for a shipbreaker skilled in EVA and hacking
- Step-by-step tutorial navigation through K-Leg station
- First docking and salvage operations on a tutorial derelict
The Coffin Ship start is not recommended for new players. If you are unfamiliar with Ostranauts mechanics, consider starting with a Dream or TU model ship for a smoother introduction to the game's systems.
Coffin Ship vs. Other Starter Ships
| Feature | Coffin Ship (SCI Retrofit) | Dream | TU Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Support | None (must install) | Basic included | Full system |
| Mortgage Cost | Lowest | Moderate | Higher |
| Cargo Space | Minimal | Moderate | Generous |
| Oxygen Supply | None | Limited | Full tanks |
| Difficulty | Hardcore | Beginner | Intermediate |
| Customization | High potential | Limited | Moderate |
Critical First Steps: Oxygen and Survival
When you board your coffin ship for the first time, you will notice it is essentially a metal box with a thruster. The most pressing issue is the complete lack of a functioning oxygen system. Without intervention, your character will suffocate within minutes of taking off from K-Leg station.
Understanding the Oxygen Problem
The default Coffin Ship comes with no air pump, no oxygen tank, and no way to cycle breathable atmosphere into the cabin. Your basic pressure suit only holds a limited supply of oxygen, meaning every trip outside the ship is a race against time.
Your starting pressure suit has no built-in oxygen supply. It only holds whatever air is trapped inside when you seal it. You have roughly a few minutes before CO2 levels become lethal. Always plan your EVA routes before opening the airlock.
Essential Components You Need
| Component | Source | Priority | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pump | Supply Kiosk or Salvage | Critical | Variable |
| O2 Canister | Derelict Salvage | Critical | Free (salvaged) |
| Floor Section | Scrap Kiosk | High | Cheap |
| EVA Suit | Gig Kiosk Rewards | High | Earned |
| Oxygen Candle | Supply Kiosk | Stopgap | Expensive |
| Helmet | Derelict Salvage | Medium | Free (salvaged) |
Sell Unnecessary Starting Gear
Before leaving K-Leg, sell your tactical knife, extra toolbox, coveralls, and spare sneakers at the trade kiosk. You can also sell default PDA modules like power vis and damage vis for early startup funds. This should net you around 5,000 credits.
Purchase an Air Pump
Visit the Supply Kiosk and purchase an air pump. This is the single most important component for your Coffin Ship. Without it, you cannot pressurize your cabin. Send it directly to your ship's barter zone for easy installation.
Salvage O2 From the Tutorial Derelict
Fly to the tutorial derelict and locate the O2 canister on board. Carefully retrieve it within your limited EVA time. Return to your ship and install the canister alongside the pump to create a functional atmosphere system.
Install the System Correctly
Mount the pump on an outer wall. Place a floor section outside the ship to hold the O2 canister. Connect the system so the pump can cycle oxygen into the cabin. Test the atmosphere levels using the gas overlay (press G).
Salvage Strategies for the Coffin Ship
Salvaging is your primary income source when flying a coffin ship. The boneyard surrounding K-Leg station is filled with derelict vessels waiting to be stripped. However, without proper preparation, each salvage run can end in disaster.
Always carry a valid salvage permit when exploring derelicts. If law enforcement scans you without a permit, you will face heavy fines or worse. Yellow permits last 24 hours and can be found on tutorial derelicts or purchased from K-Leg.
Where to Find Critical Components
Most derelict ships contain the components you need to upgrade your Coffin. The key is knowing where to look and how to extract them efficiently before your oxygen runs out.
O2 Canisters
- Found on most derelict ships
- Check bridge lockers
- Look in engineering sections
- Full cans worth 10x empty
Air Pumps
- Located in life support rooms
- Often damaged but repairable
- Can be bought at Supply Kiosk
- Essential for cabin pressurization
EVA Suits
- Found on pirate vessels
- Complete gig kiosk jobs
- Full suits allow extended EVAs
- Highest priority upgrade
Advanced Salvage: Pirate Ships
One of the most lucrative strategies for Coffin Ship players involves targeting pirate vessels instead of standard derelicts. Pirate ships are active vessels, not wrecks, meaning they do not require a salvage permit to board. They are typically crewed by pirates in full EVA suits, which you can snatch, repair, and use for yourself.
| Pirate Ship Loot | Condition | Value | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| EVA Suits | 90%+ | Very High | Moderate |
| Filled O2 Cans | 90%+ | High | Low |
| Sensors | Good | Moderate | Low |
| Ship Equipment | 90%+ | High | Moderate |
| Bounty Rewards | N/A | Small Fee | High |
Dock with pirate ships and use a crowbar to subdue the crew. Their ships are usually in excellent condition with full equipment. You can grab their EVA suits, strip valuable components, and even report their deaths for a small bounty fee at K-Leg.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
The Coffin Ship start punishes even small errors. Understanding the most common causes of death will help you survive long enough to establish a sustainable operation.
Top Causes of Death
| Cause | Why It Happens | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Suffocation | No O2 pump or cycling system | Install pump before first flight |
| CO2 Poisoning | Standing too long in airlocks | Minimize airlock time, monitor CO2 |
| Impact Collision | Approaching stations too fast | Hold R to brake, match velocity |
| Illegal Salvage | No valid permit on derelict | Always carry yellow permit |
| Station Asphyxiation | Borrowing too much K-Leg air | Equalize carefully, do not drain |
Some players use an airlock exploit to create a pressurized space between docking ports. While this can help with early oxygen management, it is not an intended game mechanic and may be patched in future updates. Rely on proper pump installations for long-term survival.
Weight Reduction Trick
Experienced Coffin Ship pilots use a clever weight reduction technique to improve fuel efficiency. By uninstalling all outside corner walls and running conduits along the interior, you significantly reduce the ship's mass. This makes your nitrogen fuel last longer and improves maneuverability.
Uninstall Exterior Walls
Remove all outside corner walls from your Coffin Ship. Store them for later use as floor sections or replacement panels. This reduces overall ship weight dramatically.
Reroute Conduits
Run conduits along the interior walls using jumper jack conduits on inside corners. This maintains power distribution while eliminating exterior mounting weight.
Optimize Component Placement
Reinstall your nav station and battery in optimized positions. Doing this early gives you a 3x speed multiplier on those items instead of the default 1x, making future maintenance much faster.
Long-Term Upgrades and Progression
Once you have stabilized your Coffin Ship with basic life support, the real work begins. The Coffin's low mortgage makes it an excellent long-term platform for players willing to invest in upgrades.
The Coffin Ship retrofit is considered by veteran players to be the most rewarding start in Ostranauts. The extremely low mortgage payments give you financial freedom that larger starter ships cannot match. Once you secure an EVA suit, you can expand the ship to any size while maintaining minimal debt.
Upgrade Priority Order
| Priority | Upgrade | Benefit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air Pump System | Cabin pressurization | Supply Kiosk |
| 2 | O2 Canisters | Breathing atmosphere | Derelict salvage |
| 3 | EVA Suit | Extended EVA time | Gig kiosk / Pirates |
| 4 | Floor Sections | External mounting | Scrap Kiosk |
| 5 | O2 Sensor | Automated gas control | Derelict salvage |
| 6 | Ship Expansion | More room and cargo | Custom build |
Coffin Ship Survival Checklist:
- Sell unnecessary starting gear for startup funds
- Purchase and install an air pump from Supply Kiosk
- Salvage O2 canister from tutorial derelict
- Obtain a full EVA suit from gig kiosk or pirate ship
- Install floor section for external canister mounting
- Set up barter zone on ship for trading
- Reduce ship weight by removing exterior corner walls
- Expand ship size after securing stable income
Alternative Oxygen Solutions
If you cannot find or afford an air pump immediately, there are stopgap measures available. Oxygen candles from the Supply Kiosk provide single-use cabin pressurization, though they are expensive for repeated use. Some players also damage O2 canisters salvaged from wrecks to release bursts of breathable air into the cabin.
Another creative approach involves hacking the environmental room door on the old emporium level of K-Leg station. By stealing the nitrogen setup and pumping it into space, you can reinstall the pump in reverse to fill an empty tank with station atmosphere. This creates an air system comparable to any starter ship at no cost.
When docked at K-Leg, you can open both airlocks to equalize pressure and fill your cabin with station air. Be careful not to borrow too much, as K-Leg has finite air reserves. Over-borrowing can potentially harm station NPCs and create unwanted attention.
Flight and Docking Tips for the Coffin
The Coffin Ship handles differently from larger vessels. Its minimal mass makes it responsive but also prone to overshooting targets. Mastering the flight controls is essential for safe docking and salvage operations.
Key Flight Controls
| Control | Function | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| W/S | Forward/Backward thrust | Approach and retreat |
| A/D | Lateral thrust | Docking alignment |
| Q/E | Rotate counterclockwise/clockwise | Bearing adjustment |
| R | Stop rotation | Aligning with targets |
| K | Match speed | Synchronize with other ships |
| Right Bracket | Accelerate time | Long transit burns |
| Left Bracket | Decelerate time | Precision approaches |
The match speed function (K) tries to synchronize your velocity with the target ship. While useful for maintaining distance, it constantly applies brakes during approach. Disable match speed when closing distance and manage your relative velocity manually for smoother docking.
Docking Procedure
Successful docking requires patience and precise velocity management. Approach your target at a relative velocity of approximately 25-50 m/s. Use lateral thrusters (A/D) to keep docking ports aligned, monitoring the bearing and cross-velocity indicators. When the docking indicator turns green, engage clamps to secure the connection.
Remember that your Coffin Ship has no up or down thrust. All movement is planar with rotation on a single axis. This simplifies some maneuvers but means you must plan your approach vector carefully, as you cannot simply thrust away on the Z-axis to avoid obstacles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the Ostranauts coffin ship start worth choosing?
For experienced players, yes. The Coffin Ship offers the lowest mortgage in the game, giving you long-term financial freedom. However, the early game is brutal due to the lack of life support. New players should start with a Dream or TU model instead.
Q: How do I get oxygen on my coffin ship?
You need to purchase an air pump from the Supply Kiosk and salvage an O2 canister from a derelict. Install the pump on an outer wall with a floor section to hold the canister outside. This creates a functional atmosphere cycling system for your cabin.
Q: Can I steal from pirate ships without a salvage permit?
Yes. Pirate ships are active vessels, not derelicts, so no salvage permit is required. You can dock with them, subdue the crew with a crowbar, and take their equipment including EVA suits, O2 cans, and sensors. You can also report pirate deaths for a small bounty.
Q: What is the airlock exploit and should I use it?
The airlock exploit creates a pressurized gap between docking ports when connected. While some players use it for early oxygen management, it is not an intended mechanic and may be patched. It is better to invest in a proper pump and canister system for reliable life support.