Lifepod 5
Standard 2-Berth Emergency Lifepods are the Aurora's escape pods. The player survived the crash by entering Lifepod 5, which becomes their starting location at the beginning of Subnautica, landing in the Safe Shallows.
The Escape Pod has two openings: a hatch on the ceiling, which can be reached outside by climbing a ladder, and another one underneath it and submerged. The internals of the vessel suffered damages during the crash and are smoldering after a fire erupted inside. The Lifepod Systems and the Communications Relay can be repaired using the Welder, respectively turning on the lights in the pod and enabling messages.
The Pod houses a Fabricator which will be visited often in the early stages of the game, a small amount of storage with a few survival equipment and rations, a Fire Extinguisher which can be used to put out the fire after the crash, a mounted Medical Kit Fabricator generating First Aid Kits each 30 minutes and the Communications Relay broadcasting emergency messages and distress calls.
During the intro sequence, the player is climbing inside the Pod, escaping from the Aurora. A panel can be seen flying off the opposite wall, exposing wires and slamming into their face, knocking them out.
Once they wake up, the player quickly notices that the Lifepod is on fire, and then gains control over the character after this the player needs to pick-up the Fire Extinguisher and put out the fire. after this the PDA boots up.
Energy Usage
Energy is provided to the Escape Pod by three Self-Charging Power Cells on the bulkhead, with a capacity of 25 charges each. The Fabricator will drain energy from the power cells when used, and they will recharge themselves other time. The Fabricator will not drain energy in Freedom Mode.
Data Bank Entry
Weight: 576 kg
Dimensions: 3m x 3m
Standard features:
- Low density, high strength construction
- Onboard air-break, flotation devices and thrusters, for land sea or space recovery
- Short-range communications relay (250km uninterrupted range)
- Solar power
- Wall-mounted fabricator
- Multiple exits
Standard Provisions:
2x All-Environment Protection Suit
1x Handheld spectroscope scanner
3x 1L drinking water provision
1x Emergency medkit
1x Flashlight
1x Assorted replacement parts
Gallery
Lifepod 5
Bottom bulkhead, entrance into the Escape Pod
The Escape Pod houses a ladder to the upper exit, the Fabricator and a Storage unit
Interior of the Escape Pod after using a welder to repair broken electronics
The Escape Pod at Night
Escape Pod Interior Concept Art
For a more complete gallery, visit Escape Pod/Gallery.
Trivia
- The Escape Pod is fitted with two seats, although the player is the only one who used it in time.
- The Escape Pod is missing several items from its standard provisions inventory: one Scanner, one Nutrient Block, one Filetered Water bottle, one Flashlight and the assorted replacement parts. It has however an additional Flare.
- The Fabricator inside the Escape Pod can be destroyed with a Survival Knife, but will reappear when the game is saved and reloaded.
- The various equipment aboard the Escape Pod are branded Alterra, meaning the Escape Pod has been designed or built by the Alterra Corporation. A similar brand can be found on some tools in the game Natural Selection 2, which was also developed by Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Before the Crash Sequence update, the player used the Fire Extinguisher in a scripted scene to put out the fire. Once done, it reactivated everything in the pod except for the lights and the Communications Relay.