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"We were essentially being shell-shocked by rapid change. That was one of the things you needed science-fiction writers for back in the Sixties, because we could cope with the future."
- Peter Watts

Ion Drive  
  A space drive that emits a stream of ions as reaction mass; it starts out slow but builds up to interstellar speeds.  

It has its own ion drive, a regular crew of six, and plenty of additional space for our party.
From Equalizer, by Jack Williamson.
Published by Astounding S-F in 1947
Additional resources -

I believe that the T.I.E. fighters from Star Wars also used a form of ion propulsion, but maybe a bit zippier.

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Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from Equalizer
  More Ideas and Technology by Jack Williamson
  Tech news articles related to Equalizer
  Tech news articles related to works by Jack Williamson

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