NASA has unveiled recently that it may seriously consider producing the plasma-drive engines once proposed. The engines would use nuclear reactors and hydrogen to propel a rocket from Earth to Mars at 123000 MPH making the trip in only 39 days. The private aerospace start-up Ad Astra Rocket Company, with founder Franklin Chang Díazm is building a rocket engine that’s faster and more powerful than anything NASA has ever flown before.
The idea is that speed is the key. The faster they reach other planets, the more likely a mission's success it. We can only hope to hear more about these new means of propulsion in the near future. Until then you can read more here
Cheers to the hopes that we might some day get off this rock at breakneck speeds!