Txchnologist, an online magazine sponsored by General Electric, talked to team member and aerospace engineering PH.D. candidate Ross Cortez, he said "The fusion fuel we're focusing on is deuterium [a stable isotope of hydrogen] and Li6 [a stable isotope of the metal lithium] in a crystal structure."

"That's basically dilithium crystals we're using," he said.

Trekkies everywhere shudder in delight.

The researchers say that this type of engine is what NASA needs to propel human beings outside low-Earth orbit, out to places like Mars and even beyond.

Not so fast though, the military will probably get first dibs.

The whole projects is only possible from repurposing military nuclear testing equipment, essentially stuff America used to test nuclear weapons.