ISRO to design ventilators, make hand sanitisers

Chennai: Designing simple to operate ventilators, manufacturing of sanitisers, oxygen canisters and masks while putting on hold manufacture of rockets is what Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), part of ISRO, is doing to meet the emergency needs of the people and owing to lockdown, said top official.
He also said all the staff at the VSSC are safe and not affected by coronavirus.
Based in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, the VSSC part of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) makes the rockets that launches the Indian and foreign satellites.
“We are designing ventilators that are different from what is already there. We are designing ventilators that can be operated in a simple manner and when power supply is not there,” S. Somanath, Director told IANS, adding that the VSSC’s job is only to design and the manufacturing will be done by industries.
“We are making sanitisers for captive and also for use of others. We have made over 1,000 litres. Similarly, masks are made by employee societies,” he added.
According to him, manufacturing of rockets has been put on hold for now at the VSSC. (IANS)