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Yesterday, Reaction Engines Ltd. (a company in England developing the Skylon space plane) successfully tested an engine that for some complex and technical reason can make the vehicle work.

We're talking about a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle here. A spacecraft that doesn't need an external launch vehicle. This would make space travel cost a fraction of what it does now, and paves the way for all of those sci-fi spacecrafts that can land on and take off from planets without needing to refuel. This technology is long overdue, and and the thought that it is going to be available within the lifetime of my grandparents is very encouraging.

News article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20510112
Wikipedia article on the vehicle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reaction_Engines_Skylon