Since the 1970s, starting at MIT and then for 25 years at NASA, astronaut Franklin Chang Díaz and his team of scientists have worked to develop a faster propulsion technology for space travel. The result is the VASIMR® engine, a plasma rocket that can travel 10 times faster than a chemical rocket, uses 1/10th the amount of fuel, and can transport cargo more economically than any existing space technology. Crossing the Space Frontier delves into the science behind this technological endeavor and explores the meaning and deep-reaching impact it will have on humanity's future in space.