ISRO Delayed Rocket Launches To Manufacture Ventilators And Hand Sanitizer

With the COVID-19 outbreak causing ISRO some of its most important rocket launches, the agency has decided to focus its resources and expertise on manufacturing hand sanitizers and ventilators.

The Indian Space Research Organization is in charge of all India’s spacecraft missions. Some of its most notable projects are the Chandrayaan-2 mission which is orbiting the moon and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle rocket.

As the Coronavirus outbreak spreading in India and taking lives, ISRO was forced to put its upcoming projects on hold and pivot resources to the fight against COVID-19 in India.

According to the head of the agency's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, S. Somanath, ISRO is working on its own design of ventilators as well as making and distributing hand sanitizer.

The agency is aware that hand sanitizer is vital in slowing down the spread of COVID-19 and ventilators play a vital part in stabilizing those who come down with the disease. As stated by ISRO, the agency aims at making a ventilator that is easy to operate.

NASA is set to follow suit, as stated by Jim Bridenstine, its administrator at a virtual town hall on March 25. Bridenstine said that he and other leaders of the agency are collaborating with some of the government’s other branches to see how NASA can fit in the fight against COVID-19.

Some of the measures they have in mind include making ventilators in cooperation with existing manufacturers.

ISRO has also canceled its recruitment process scheduled for the next few days. The interviews for Scientists/ Engineer 'SC' have also been delayed to May.

The initial plan was to hold them from March 20 to March 22. The date of the exam has also been scheduled for May 16.

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