BYJY5, colloquially called "air shot", is an emergency medical oxidant for use in the vacuum of space for occupationally exposed workers such as stevedores, ship crews, and mech pilots. A form of molecular machine the size of a virus, the structure unfurls to release oxygen in low blood oxygen situations.
There is controversy as mech pilots do not use air shot in the form of injectors during depressurization but get BYJY5 infused prophylactically before deployment and the machine is filtered out later in standard post-deployment hemoperfusion along with other adjuncts.
However, this is considered safe for mech pilots as pilots have enhanced liver and kidney function and hemoperfusion support on deployment. It is believed that some of these augments to liver and kidney function are life-long after augmentation.
In standard use, Air Shot for pilots is infused at the start of deployment, at 3-5 times the dosage considered "normal" for most workers. This is because while Air Shot for workers is meant to reduce brain damage before retrieval, mech pilots must remain functional in combat longer.
Air Shot is rated for survival without brain injury in vacuum situations for up to 5 minutes and reduced brain damage for up to half an hour. Mech pilots can have near full function up to 10 minutes in soft vacuum with no chance of brain injury for an hour in a depressurization.
