Virgin Orbit will mass-produce new ventilators to help fight coronavirus pandemic

Virgin Orbit has developed a new mass-producible bridge ventilator to help in fighting coronavirus

As the COVID-19 crisis worsens, Virgin Orbit, a revolutionary service that provides launch solutions for small satellites has developed a new mass-producible bridge ventilator to help in fighting the deadly coronavirus.

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According to the company’s website, The Virgin Orbit team has been referring with the Bridge Ventilator Consortium (BVC), led by the University of California Irvine (UCI) and the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), have teamed up to provide simple ventilators to facilitate the current COVID-19 crisis.

PHOTO: Virgin Orbit

Despite pending clearance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the company is lined up to start production and deliver units to first responders and healthcare professionals as soon as possible.

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“We face a slow-motion Dunkirk, and getting ventilators out there is very important to save lives,” said Dr. Brian J.F. Wong, assistant chairman of otolaryngology at UCI.

“The demand outstrips supply, so it is important the government, industry, academia, non-profits, and the community work together to identify solutions, and design and construct them as fast as possible.”

“We are all heartbroken each night as we turn on the news and see the predicament facing doctors and nurses as they heroically work to save lives,” said Dan Hart, CEO Virgin Orbit.

“I have never seen our team working harder. Never seen ideas moving quicker from design to prototype. We are hopeful that this device can help as we all prepare for the challenges ahead.”

The main goal is to have a functioning bridge ventilator in production in early April.