[jyl]

I initially thought this was hooey, but the bit about the engines being tested on the ISS was interesting.

Fantastic VASIMR Starship Engine Will Take Astronauts to Mars in Only 39 Days : Tech : Yibada

Is it hooey?

The VASIMR Hoax - The Mars Society

Is it real?

The Space Review: VASIMR: hope or hype for Mars exploration?

Is it just an electrically power retro-thruster that needs big solar panels to deliver small thrust?

The Revolutionary Rocket That Could Shuttle Humans to Mars | DiscoverMagazine.com