Ostranauts Beginner Guide — Your First Days on K-Leg
✔ Last checked: 2026-08-04
The whole early game is one loop: suit up, buy a salvage license, fly to a derelict in the Boneyard, strip it, sell the parts, repeat. Everything else — better tools, a better ship, a crew — is that loop compounding. Here’s the 1.0-calibrated version, since a lot of older guides describe systems that have since changed.
Your first session, in order
| Step | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Take character creation slowly | Your resume decides skills, traits, debt and starting ship |
| 2 | Do the tutorial | Rebuilt for 1.0 after user testing — it’s genuinely useful now |
| 3 | Collect a pressure suit + basic tools (crowbar, screwdriver, cutter) | No tools = painfully slow salvage |
| 4 | Buy a temporary salvage license at the kiosk (~$5,000 / 24h) | Unlicensed salvage risks a fine far bigger than the license — see licenses |
| 5 | Undock, pick a nearby derelict, dock at low speed | Docking is the first real skill check — see controls |
| 6 | Strip valuables, sell at the station kiosks | Thrusters, pumps and electronics beat furniture every time |
The five classic new-spacer deaths
- Vacuum, no helmet. The game will let you. It will not stop you.
- Flat EVA suit battery. A dead suit stops scrubbing CO2 — check charge before every trip, and see life support for how the suit actually works.
- Out of fuel, far from home. The PASS taxi service can rescue your character, but it costs money and (since v0.15.1.20) real calendar time.
- Unlicensed salvage. Security scans your transponder at range. The fine is several times the license price.
- Fires you started. Repair sparks can ignite atmosphere — 1.0-era patches made this rarer in your first hours, but keep a fire extinguisher aboard anyway.
Where to go next
Once the loop pays for itself, branch into making money seriously, learn what’s actually worth salvaging, and read what changed in 1.0 if you’re returning from Early Access — the game you left is not the game that shipped.
FAQ
Should I do the tutorial in Ostranauts 1.0?
Yes. The tutorial was specifically improved for 1.0 after the devs watched hours of new-player footage. Veterans in reviews consistently say skipping it is how they died a dozen times.
What should I do first in Ostranauts?
Grab a pressure suit and tools from the K-Leg dorm area, buy a temporary salvage license (about $5,000 for 24 hours), fly to a derelict in the Boneyard, and strip high-value parts to sell back at the kiosks.
What kills new players most often?
Walking into vacuum without a helmet, running the EVA suit battery flat, running out of ship fuel or power mid-transit, and salvaging without a license (heavy fines).
How long does Ostranauts take to learn?
Players describe a real learning cliff — expect your first few hours to be about surviving mistakes. Most reviews agree it clicks after the first successful salvage-and-sell run.