OFF AIR... EXTRA
Off Air with Jane & Fi
The Times
4.6 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 24 April 2026
⏱️ 20 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Welcome to a Friday special! This week’s bonus episode features an interview with Dr. Nicola Fox, head of science at NASA. Dr. Fox watched the moon landing as a baby, and 57 years later, she was one of the NASA chiefs who gave the ‘go’ command for the countdown to the Artemis II launch.
We first interviewed Dr. Fox back in 2023, when she stepped into her role as NASA’s head of science.
If you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: janeandfi@times.radio
Follow us on Instagram! @janeandfi
Podcast Producer: Eve Salusbury
Executive Producer: Rosie Cutler
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, this is Jane, introducing a Friday bonus ball edition of Offair with Jane and Fee. |
| 0:14.2 | Now, we really wanted to bring you this treat from Wednesday's live Times Radio show. |
| 0:19.3 | Just a reminder, we are on Times Radio 2 o'clock till 4, Monday to Thursday, get live Times Radio show. Just a reminder, we are on Times Radio, 2 o'clock till 4, |
| 0:22.4 | Monday to Thursday, get the Times Radio app. It's totally free. But we thought you'd really like |
| 0:28.3 | to hear this because it's a conversation that we had with a woman we really, really admire. |
| 0:33.2 | She is the pride of Hertfordshire, born in Hitchin and now the head of science at NASA. I mean, |
| 0:40.4 | that is simply cool beyond worlds, our worlds. Nicola Fox wanted to be an actress or astrophysicist. |
| 0:48.2 | The stage's loss is the international space race is gain. She is now head of science for NASA, |
| 0:55.4 | and in that capacity, |
| 0:59.9 | she was one of the NASA chiefs who gave the Go Command for the countdown to launch day for Artemis 2. It is a giant leap for the girl from Hitchin, and that will be the only small step gag in |
| 1:06.6 | this interview. Dr Fox joins us now. A very good afternoon from us in London, Nicola. How are you? |
| 1:12.7 | I'm very well, thank you. Starting my day here in D.C. |
| 1:17.6 | Okay. We've talked to you a couple of times before on the program and the podcast and you're |
| 1:23.3 | always a very cheerful guest, but I can see on the screen now that you have a certain wide, wide smile. |
| 1:31.5 | And so you should, because you have just managed to complete something that has been a source of so much joy and wonder across the globe. |
| 1:40.1 | Yes, I mean, obviously we are so excited here at the agency after the unbelievably fantastic success of the Artemis II mission. |
| 1:51.0 | And obviously, watching it launch was really spectacular. |
| 1:55.1 | Watching the splashdown was incredibly emotional. |
| 1:58.7 | But for me, the sheer joy of actually hearing the astronauts talk about |
| 2:04.8 | what they were seeing as they were flying, doing that close flyby of the moon, and, you know, |
| 2:10.6 | just hearing the words that they use to describe it and the joy and wonder, you know, so they |
| 2:16.4 | really took kind of, you know, the whole world |
... |
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