- Air Pump mechanics: Transfers gases between ship compartments and canisters
- Two key modes: Use Slow for small vessels and Reverse for venting or recharging
- Overpressurization danger: EVA bottles can explode if filled too quickly without Slow mode
- Economic value: Oxygen costs roughly 7.5 cents per kilopascal when buying full canisters
- Maintenance tools: Requires a screwdriver/drill and welder for repairs
Air Pump Overview and Core Functions
The Air Pump in Ostranauts is a critical HVAC item that manages your ship's life support systems. It allows you to transfer gases—such as Oxygen (O2) and Nitrogen (N2)—between a room's atmosphere and portable gas canisters. Without a properly configured pump, your crew will quickly suffocate, making this one of the most essential systems to master early in the game.
Video Highlights:
- How to move gas between canisters and EVA suit bottles
- Economic breakdown of buying versus selling oxygen canisters
- Step-by-step demonstration of pump control panel settings
- Critical warnings about overpressurization and exploding bottles
When no canister or bottle is placed under the pump, it regulates the room's atmosphere. Once you place a vessel beneath it, the pump redirects all gas flow into that specific container. Always double-check what is sitting under your pump before activating it.
Base Item Statistics
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Category | HVAC |
| Base Price | 2,050 Credits |
| Mass | 11 kg |
| Max Damage | 4 |
| Max Install Progress | 500 |
| Max Uninstall Progress | 500 |
Operating Modes: Auto, Slow, and Reverse
Understanding the different modes on your Ostranauts Air Pump is the difference between a breathable ship and a catastrophic hull breach. The pump features a control panel that allows you to toggle how gas moves through your ventilation system.
If a canister is placed under the pump, the control panel will show the canister's status instead of the compartment. If you try to vent your atmosphere while a canister is docked, the pump will shove gas into the container instead of your ship, potentially suffocating your crew.
Mode Breakdown
| Mode | Function | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Maintains room pressure automatically | Standard life support operations |
| Slow | Reduces overall flow rate significantly | Refilling small EVA O2 bottles safely |
| Reverse | Switches the direction of gas flow | Venting airlocks, recharging canisters from room atmosphere |
Standard Pump
- Balanced flow rate
- Easier micro-management
- Ideal for routine atmospheric control
- Safer for filling small vessels
Turbo Pump
- Much faster gas transfer
- Harder to control precisely
- High risk of overpressurization
- Best for large compartment venting
Gas Canisters
- Portable gas storage
- Dock under the pump for transfer
- Cannot filter mixed gases
- Sellable at kiosks for profit
The Air Pump cannot filter gases out of a mixed atmosphere. You cannot pump CO2 out of your ship's air while using a CO2 canister. You must rely on dedicated AtmoScrubbers for contamination management.
Step-by-Step: Refilling EVA O2 Bottles
Refilling EVA suit oxygen bottles is one of the most common tasks you will perform. Because these bottles have a much smaller capacity than standard canisters, they fill up incredibly fast. If you are not careful, the bottle will overpressurize, take rapid damage, and eventually explode.
Position the Empty Bottle
Move the empty or low EVA O2 bottle directly under the installed Air Pump. Check the pump's control panel to ensure it now recognizes the bottle instead of the compartment.
Activate Slow Mode
Before turning the pump on, toggle the mode to Slow. This drastically reduces the flow rate, giving you precious seconds to react before the vessel reaches maximum capacity.
Monitor the Pressure Closely
Turn the pump on and watch the percentage climb. Keep the game speed at 1x. The pressure will jump in increments of 10-20% even on Slow mode, so stay alert.
Shut Off Before 100%
Turn the pump off the moment the bottle approaches 90-95% capacity. Overfilling the bottle causes immediate physical damage and produces a distinct crackling sound indicating an imminent breach.
If you hear crackling or creaking sounds while filling a bottle, you have overpressurized it. The bottle will rapidly degrade and explode, damaging surrounding ship components. Immediately turn off the pump and repair the bottle before continuing.
Economics of Gas Transfer
Managing your gases efficiently in Ostranauts can save—or even make—you thousands of credits. Instead of throwing away empty canisters, you can use the Air Pump to refill them from your ship's supply or transfer gas between larger containers.
You can fill an empty canister using your ship's atmospheric pump, buy replacement gas from a licensing desk, and sell the freshly filled canister at a kiosk. While the profit margin per kilopascal is small, it is a viable way to recoup life support costs.
Oxygen Market Values
| Item / State | Approximate Value |
|---|---|
| Full O2 Canister (Purchase) | ~13,000 Credits |
| Full O2 Canister (Resale) | ~3,300 Credits |
| Empty Canister (Resale) | ~223 Credits |
| Calculated O2 Value | ~7.5 cents per kPa |
| EVA Bottle (1% Full) | ~253 Credits |
| EVA Bottle (48% Full) | ~1,700 Credits |
| EVA Bottle (90%+ Full) | ~3,000 Credits |
Attempting to completely empty a canister using the pump's Reverse mode takes an exceptionally long time due to diminishing pressure returns. It can take over an hour of in-game time. Stop at 1-2% and just sell the container to save real-world time.
Repair and Maintenance
Like all ship components in Ostranauts, the Air Pump will degrade over time and require maintenance. Keeping your ventilation systems in top condition ensures your crew survives long voyages without catastrophic life support failures.
Repair Requirements
| Component | Amount Required |
|---|---|
| Motor | 1 |
| Scrap Steel | 1 |
| Small Mechanical Parts | 3 |
Tools Required for Repair:
- Horang "PlaScrew" Screwdriver
- Gott Power Drill
- Weber 'Lance' Laser Torch
- Gott Soldering Iron
Disassembly Yields
| Component | Amount Yielded |
|---|---|
| Motor | 1 |
| Small Mechanical Parts | 3 |
Tools Required for Disassembly:
- Halvorson Friction Stir Welder
- Gott Power Drill
Always carry spare motors and small mechanical parts in your storage bins. A broken Air Pump in deep space means your crew cannot cycle air, leading to rapid suffocation deaths if you cannot repair it immediately.
Air Pump Safety Checklist:
- Verify no canister is accidentally docked under life support pumps
- Always use Slow mode when filling small EVA bottles
- Keep spare Motors and Small Mechanical Parts in storage
- Carry a Screwdriver and Power Drill at all times
- Monitor room pressure after reversing pump flow
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happens if I overfill an EVA oxygen bottle using the Air Pump?
The bottle will take damage rapidly and begin making crackling or creaking sounds. If you do not shut off the pump immediately, the bottle will explode, damaging the surrounding area and venting the gas into your ship's atmosphere.
Q: Can I use the Air Pump to filter CO2 out of my ship's atmosphere?
No. The Air Pump cannot filter specific gases from a mixed atmosphere. To remove CO2 or contaminants, you must install and power dedicated AtmoScrubbers in your HVAC system.
Q: Why is my ship losing oxygen even though the pump is running?
Check if a canister or bottle is accidentally placed under the pump. When a vessel is docked beneath the pump, it redirects gas into that container instead of the room. Remove the canister to restore normal atmospheric control.
Q: Is it worth completely emptying a canister before selling it?
No. Due to how pressure dynamics work in the game, pumping out the last few percent of gas takes an extremely long time. It is more time-efficient to leave a small amount of gas inside and sell the canister as-is.