Kerala will get oxygen supplies from the Indian Space Research Organisation's ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) at Mahendragiri, as part of the efforts to ensure adequate oxygen supplies for COVID-19 patients. Liquid oxygen (LOX) is used as oxidiser in the propellant combination for the cryogenic engine of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
Tankers carrying the initial supply of 12 metric tonnes were expected in the State on May 5 morning, government sources said.
ISRO agreed to supply 12 MT to the State on a weekly basis after Chief Secretary V. P. Joy wrote to ISRO Chairman K. Sivan.
M. C. Dathan, scientific advisor to the Chief Minister and a former Director of ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), also had taken the initiative to obtain ISRO's assistance in this regard.
IPRC is the testing centre for the space agency's liquid propulsion systems. The cryogenic engine uses a propellant combination of liquid hydrogen (LH2) and LOX. Hydrogen liquefies at minus 253 degrees celsius (-253°C) and oxygen, at minus 183 degrees celsius (-183°C). Cryogenic engines form the upper stages of the Mk-II and Mk-III variants of the GSLV.
3 ventilator models
After the COVID-19 outbreak last year, the VSSC had come up with three ventilator models. Trials are progressing on two of them, VSSC officials said. The models were christened them PRANA (Programmable Respiratory Assistance for the Needy Aid), SVASTA (Space Ventilator Aided System for Trauma Assistance) and VaU (Ventilation Assistance Unit) — and read as Vayu.
