As the private space industry races to colonize space for profit, where does NASA fit in to the equation?Laurie Leshin is just the person to answer that question. She's the Director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the first female director in JPL's storied history. To her, NASA's future is defined by its mission — exploring the cosmos for the greater good of humankind.Laurie and I discuss the role of Space X and Blue Origin in the new space age and why NASA should set its sights on Mars, and flying to even deeper space beyond.This...is A Bit of Optimism.To find out more about Laurie and her work, check out:jpl.nasa.gov