After solving the energy crisis with cold fusion,
in 2039 scientists made two very important breakthroughs in energy storage and propulsion.
A new type of capacitor with an enormous energy density of 1MWh/dm^3 emerged out of a billon dollar project.
Secondly, a highly advanced circular magnetoplasmadynamic thruster (cMPD) entered a practical stage. It works by accelerating hydrogen atoms very efficient almost to the speed of light. Through the relativistic mass dilatation which occurs at such particle velocities, only a very small amount of working mass has to be carried along the vehicle.
In 2040 a prototype (my entry) utilizing this tec. was build in cooperation with Makerbot Industries.
The first flight results beat all expectations.
From then on it was an ease taking off vertically and flying out into space.
Only year’s later consumer products came onto market.
The traffic was quickly heaved into the third dimension and after two decades, massive autonomous cargo ships left earth heading towards Mars to initiate large scale terrafomation.

…and so a new area for mankind began.

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:41066

tommylin from Thingiverse, 3D Printed it recently, have a look at it:
http://www.thingiverse.com/derivative:56316