In today's episode of Star Talk, it's a cosmic query where we learn all about the chip propulsion

laboratories through the lens of its brand new director, Laurie Lushan, a geochemist,

an old friend actually, and in there we learn about, where we ever get to Europa,

is there a mission on the books? Spoiler alert, yes, and how will it get through the ice?

Will it get through the ice at all? Could we find fish, freeze-dried or otherwise buried beneath?

And is JPL developing another telescope? If it is, what's it going to do? And why? All that and more

on this episode of Star Talk Cosmic Queries. With my co-host Chuck Knife.

Welcome to Star Talk, your place in the universe where science and pop culture collide.

Star Talk begins right now. This is Star Talk, cosmic queries edition. Neil deGrasse Tyson here,

your personal astrophysicist, and I got Chuck Knife with me, Chuck my co-host.

What's happening, Neil? How are you? So we're going to find out about JPL. It's a storied place.

It's been around even since before NASA, yet it is a branch of NASA. And what gives a

special attention today is that it has a new director. And I don't mean to brag, but I like

I'm personal friends with the new director. When you think of that, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, so

we're introduced. Laurie Leshin. Laurie, welcome to Star Talk. Thank you, Neil and Chuck.

It's so great to be with you. What a thrill. Yeah, you'd like spank and brand new in that position,

just a few months. You know, this is like we're starting out the new year, 2023.

Yeah, it's happening new year. But you haven't been in there more than six months or so.

And just about six months. That's right. Just over. Yeah. Well, congratulations. How's it going

so far? It's every day's an adventure. It's, you know, we have weeks where it's like

Mars on Tuesday on Earth on Friday and it's an astrophysics in between. So we've got all kinds

of really exciting things. What's the Chuck? You didn't ask the right question. It's, Laurie,

...