Vimanas: Bridging Modern Aerospace Innovations with Ancient Spacecraft Technologies

Abstract

The TV show Ancient Aliens on the HISTORY channel experimented with an ancient VIMANA model in a wind tunnel and found that it produced lift. This event sparked curiosity among people unaware of ancient Indian technologies. This paper reviews the technologies purportedly utilized in ancient Indian airplanes, as described in the Vedas. These texts frequently referenced various technologies resembling those used in contemporary aircraft and included myths and traditions about Hindu gods. Shivkar Talpade, an Indian with a strong interest in aviation, was inspired by these accounts. He later built and piloted an aircraft called Marutsakha, using mercury as fuel. Additionally, the Rukma Vimana has been cited as an inspiration for SpaceX's Crew Dragon module. These ancient aviation concepts share similarities with modern ideas, such as ion propulsion engines, antigravity aircraft, and stealth technologies. Research on vimanas has been made possible by translating old manuscripts into modern languages. The aim of current research is to inspire the younger generation to revive the nation's glory through scientific inquiry.