NASA's Head of Science, Dr Nicola Fox, spoke to a full house at St Mary's Church on Friday afternoon as part of this year's Hitchin Festival.

Dr Fox, who was born in Hitchin, shared memories of growing up in the area and reflected on the journey that took her from North Hertfordshire to one of the most senior roles in global science.

Speaking to Hitchin Nub News before the event, she recalled the town's "bright, colourful" market and the traffic that once ran along Tilehouse Street before the bypass was built.

Although many of Hitchin's shops have changed over the years, Dr Fox said returning to visit her mother, who still lives in the town, reminds her what a "happy place" Hitchin is.

Dr Fox attended an all-girls school in Letchworth, an experience she said gave her a "can-do" attitude. She later became only the second woman to serve as NASA's head of science, joining an organisation that had always inspired her father.

She revealed that, as a baby in Hitchin, her father propped her up in front of the television to watch Neil Armstrong take humanity's first steps on the Moon.

Explaining her route into science, Dr Fox said she "just loved science" – particularly physics – and gave special mentions to some of her former teachers.

Members of Hitchin's Scouts asked how difficult it had been to secure the top NASA role. Dr Fox pointed to the challenges she faced while studying at Imperial College London, where 83 per cent of students were male at the time.

During her talk, she discussed the NASA missions she has worked on and looked ahead to some of the agency's forthcoming projects.

Children keen to become involved in space exploration were encouraged to investigate NASA's Space Apps Challenge and citizen science opportunities.

"You guys are the Artemis Generation," Dr Fox told the younger members of the audience.

When attendees were asked who would like to travel to Mars, only a handful raised their hands – but considerably more were enthusiastic about visiting the Moon.

The event also brought two special announcements celebrating Dr Fox's connection to Hitchin.

Before her appearance at St Mary's, Hitchin British Schools Museum announced that she would become one of its patrons. Representatives from North Hertfordshire Museum also revealed plans to create a space display dedicated to her in 2027.

Danny Pearson, of Visit Hitchin, said organisers were "over the moon" to welcome the renowned scientist back to her home town.

Despite arguably being Hitchin's most famous living alumna, Dr Fox joked to Hitchin Nub News that she was pleased not to have reached the "Brad Pitt" level of fame – meaning she can still visit the town without wearing sunglasses to avoid being mobbed by fans.