The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will provide free oxygen to Kerala for COVID treatment. The oxygen was meant to be used for the production of cryogenic fuel for rockets. It will provide 12 tons of oxygen per week. The first load will be handed over on Wednesday.
In the wake of raging COVID-19 figures, Kerala Chief Secretary VP Joy on Friday wrote to the ISRO requesting a supply of 10 Metric Tonnes of liquid medical oxygen per week to the State from ISRO Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. The oxygen produced there is not allowed to be sold. With more than 3.5 lakh Covid patients undergoing treatment in Kerala, the oxygen demand is high in the state. The oxygen, that will be delivered from Mahendragiri to Thiruvananthapuram, will be filled in cylinders and taken to the Covid treatment centres. The state government has been taking precautionary measures to alleviate the oxygen shortage in the coming days. Cryogenic fuel is used in GSLV Mark 3 rocket, which launches India’s largest satellites. It is used by cooling oxygen at minus 183 degrees and hydrogen at minus 253 degrees.
