NASA Ames Stars of the Month: November 2026

NASA Ames has honored three outstanding scientists for their exceptional contributions in November 2026. Alyssa Villanueva, Steve Howell, and Samuel LeBlanc were recognized for their technical expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and collaborative approach to space exploration.

Alyssa Villanueva, an engineer at Blue Marble in the Space Biosciences Division, was commended for her technical excellence, dedication, and unwavering support to her team. Villanueva goes above and beyond in her contributions to the Lunar Explorer Instrument for space biology Applications (LEIA) team, particularly in engineering validation testing. Her efforts have been essential to the team's success.

Steve Howell, a leader in scientific teams for numerous international space missions, was recognized for his pioneering work in astronomical instrumentation. This work has significantly advanced both space- and ground-based telescope imaging. Howell's contributions have been so impactful that the Astronomical Society has awarded him the prestigious Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal for his lifetime of major contributions to the field.

Samuel LeBlanc, a research scientist for the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute in the Earth Science Division, was recognized for his exceptional technical leadership and innovative thinking. LeBlanc's work in advancing Ames' flight planning capabilities for NASA airborne science missions has placed the agency at the forefront of such efforts. His contributions have enabled successful and cost-effective missions that maximize scientific returns, both within and outside of the NASA Agency.