NASA Ames Names Three Stars of the Month for November 2026
NASA Ames Science Directorate has announced its November 2026 Stars of the Month, spotlighting three scientists whose work underpins the agency’s most ambitious projects.
NASA Ames Science Directorate has announced its November 2026 Stars of the Month, spotlighting three scientists whose work underpins the agency’s most ambitious projects. Alyssa Villanueva, an engineer with Blue Marble’s Space Biosciences Division, leads the Lunar Explorer Instrument for space biology Applications (LEIA) team. She has driven the preparation and execution of engineering validation testing, ensuring the instrument’s reliability for future lunar missions.
Her technical excellence and daily support have made LEIA’s development smoother and more efficient. Steve Howell, a veteran of international space missions, has steered scientific teams that built cutting‑edge astronomical instrumentation. His innovations have improved both space‑ and ground‑based telescope imaging, earning him the Astronomical Society of the Pacific’s Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal.
Howell’s leadership demonstrates how sustained investment in instrumentation can unlock new scientific discoveries. Samuel LeBlanc, a research scientist at the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute, has advanced Ames’ flight‑planning capabilities for NASA’s airborne science missions. His work has positioned the agency as a leader in cost‑effective, high‑return missions, benefiting both NASA and the broader scientific community.
LeBlanc’s contributions illustrate the critical role of meticulous planning in mission success.
Together, these three scientists embody the entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise, and collaborative mindset that NASA needs to explore Earth and beyond.
Their recognition reminds us that progress hinges on diverse disciplines working in harmony.
Watch how their expertise will shape the next wave of space exploration.
The story so far
Earlier coverage connected by shared names and topics. Follow the dates to see how coverage developed; these links do not imply every article describes the same event.
NASA Taps Veteran Test Pilot to Lead X-Plane RevivalNASA has officially appointed veteran test pilot and aerospace engineer Troy Asher as director of the Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards,…
Connected by: NamesEARLIER COVERAGE- Voyager Hits a Light-Day Out as November Skies Light Up
A human-made machine is now so far away that light takes a full day to reach it. This November, NASA notes that…
Connected by: NovemberEARLIER COVERAGE - Europe's Hera Probe Reveals the Aftermath of Humanity's First Asteroid Impact
Four years after NASA crashed a spacecraft into a distant space rock, a new set of eyes has finally arrived at the…
Connected by: SpaceEARLIER COVERAGE - Personal Flight Meets Heavy Rockets at NASA
A Swedish startup just parked personal flight next to orbital heavy metal. At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, a compact rotorcraft known as…
Connected by: SpaceEARLIER COVERAGE - NOWNASA Ames Names Three Stars of the Month for November 2026CURRENT UPDATE
Original publication: 12 November 2026 23:24
