The news is cool enough; working plasma engines could revolutionize space travel. What I find a bit more interesting is that the company's based in Costa Rica. Yeah, Central America, 4.5million people, tiny size. That Costa Rica. I guess if I were an ex-NASA guy looking to start up a propulsion research lab, a beach resort type country would prolly be at the top of my list too, though.

"The company, headed by Costa Rica-born former NASA astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz, told Reuters yesterday it hopes the engines can be used to stabilise space stations 'in a few years' and power a Mars jaunt within 20."